Ripples in a Pond
by A-chan5
Summary: All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs still rule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow. [ff8ff9]
1. Chapter 1

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 1_**  
**Rating: **G for now, ratings will go up in other chapters  
**Warnings: **Nothing for this one; a bit of violence, maybe. Yaoi in future chapters.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **I tried being as objective as I could with the different characters. There will be no bashing here, as I did my best to write all characters correctly despite my personal preferences. _However, _that will not stop me from playing with the original pairings and finding a IC way to rearrange them to my liking. That means there will be touches of het, but mostly slash and yaoi. You have been warned!

Rain was a rare occurrence in Esthar, though when it did happen, it seemed to compensate for every time it hadn't. To say it simply, it was torrential, and Squall hated it. It made his bangs stick in his eyes and his grip on the gunblade more slippery despite his gloves. And, though it held no consequences in battle, the wet fur sticking to his neck and cheeks was highly annoying.

Flicking the bangs out of his eyes impatiently, he scanned the surroundings for monsters, trying to pierce the sheet of rain and see beyond his nose. Laguna had assured him that thought they were strong, the storms never lasted long. Squall thought it had been enough to cross his patience's limits.

Zell and Rinoa were close behind him and to the side, standing alert. He could see that the girl was growing weary of the monsters and the rain and the patrol. Why she even insisted so much on coming sometimes, he'd never understand. She'd usually been ok with fighting when it concerned saving the world from Ultimecia, but now that it was simple monster hunting, he'd believed she'd be less eager to take up her weapon.

Zell, on the other hand, looked as chirpy as ever, even with his hair looking rather ridiculous, all flattened up like that by the rain. Well, chirpy was maybe too happy a word, as he looked around with seriousness and an intensity that had surprised him at first coming from the loud man. But Squall knew him enough to know that he looked as happy as one could in such circumstances. He wished he could say the same for himself.

"Squall…" The hesitation was marked in Rinoa's voice, and though she sounded unsure, Squall knew exactly what she wanted to ask and also knew how he'd be answering. Turning around, he nodded to her to show that he was listening.

"It's getting late, maybe we should go back?" The notion had been running around in his head for a little while now and, as always with her, she'd picked the perfect timing to ask, since he would've offered the same thing just a few moments later. It was as if she read his mind, sometimes. He usually appreciated that ability of hers to understand his unspoken words, but he occasionally found it unsettling, maybe as if she understood just a little too much for comfort.

"I'm with her there. Besides, we're close to the entrance," Zell agreed. Though killing monsters was his best way to pass time while in Esthar, he wouldn't be one to pass up on getting warm and dry after being in the rain so long.

"Whatever." He shrugged and reached inwardly for Diablos' ability to repel monsters. It was very useful, though it didn't help in the monster eliminating part. Anyways, fighting a few Imps and Toramas wouldn't make much of a difference at this point.

However, before he could junction properly and make any difference, he heard something big slithering behind him, a noise that had been covered by the rain and the building from behind which it was coming from. That had been one of their biggest obstacles; the ruined buildings at the outskirts of Esthar offered too many hiding places for monsters. Zell shouted a warning and he guessed from the clicking sound that Rinoa had launched the Shooting Star already. She'd always been fast on the trigger. Spinning on his heels, he raised his blade high, but it was a poor defence against the rolling black mist that covered him, burning his throat and blinding his eyes.

"_Malboro!_" he thought with an edge of panic. Fighting one head-on was hard enough, being caught from behind by surprise was not only dangerous but also more often than not fatal. After all, there was only that much status ailments he could defend himself against.

He was dimly aware of the smoke dissipating, caught by the wind and washed by the rain, but he wasn't master of his senses. Berserk, one part of his brain said. Confused, another affirmed. He couldn't bring himself to understand those implications, as his mind had become like a disassembled puzzle he was trying to piece back together blinded. With the mist gone, he could focus on the mass of greenish ooze that was the Malboro. Murdering instincts drove his blade and pushed his feet, ignoring how his body seemed not to want to move at the proper speed, movements achingly slow.

He was so focused on that sole purpose, on bringing the Malboro down, that his eyes saw only the gaping black mouth, fetid and stinking of the breath it had just exhaled. His vision narrowed down to one small spot so that the tentacle that caught him powerfully at the side came as a total surprise. Time stretched as he was raised off his feet, the wind knocked out of him, and he watched the stormy sky breaking overhead and managed to be annoyed at it before pain exploded in his back and the world faded into a splash of red behind closed eyelids.

---

Squall woke up to the taste of bile irritating his throat and a languor in his muscles he knew too well. His head was also throbbing slightly at the temples, he noticed as he moved up slowly, and those three factors were more than enough to tell him what had happened. The rain falling straight against his face and the smooth, even surface under his painful back also told him of where he was, but it was the silence, the utter lack of sounds save for the patter of rain, that was the most telling of all.

"Zell, he's waking up!" Rinoa's voice broke through the fog around his brain as an arm helped him straighten up, but he couldn't quite shake off the remains of the Slow spell hampering his movements and thoughts and ended up leaning on it more than he wanted.

"Hey Squall, you alright in there?" The martial artist came to squat before him and, seeing the way he was leaning so much weight on Rinoa, took one of his arms and slung it over his shoulder before standing up, bringing him to his feet at the same time.

"What happened?" He remembered the hissing breath of the Malboro, the rolling mist of which he couldn't block all of the status effect, and then it was mostly a big blank. His pounding head told him he'd been Confused, but that didn't explain why the thing was dead before he woke up. He should have been given an Esuna and be brought to help defeat the monster; it was just too idiotic for the other two to have let him rave around under Confuse while they had a Malboro on their hands.

"After it used a Bad Breath, you decided to charge the Malboro and got swept aside by a tentacle for your trouble. Smashed into the railing pretty hard, and it knocked you out," Zell started to explain, slowly loosening his grip as Squall started regaining proper control of his body.

"I treated Zell and me first while he distracted the Malboro, but I couldn't get near you, it was blocking my path. The battle heated up and, well…Phoenix pretty much finished it off," Rinoa continued, sounding slightly sheepish.

At the mention of Phoenix, Squall raised his head quickly, not quite _snapping_ it up, since he was still groggy, and studied his two friends carefully. He noticed then their drawn looks, the fresh and tender scar on Zell's arms. A Malboro catching you by surprise could easily be the end of even a seasoned party, and fighting with depleted numbers was just worst. Not for the first time, Squall was infinitively grateful for the Phoenix, whose timing was always impeccable, though that also meant they had all three been knocked out at some point.

"Let's go back," he said, and hated how slow and dull his voice sounded. From what they said, he deduced that he hadn't been given status recovery magic or items before Phoenix appeared and woke him up. He'd have to fight the last dredges of the Slow off himself.

"That never sounded so good!" Zell agreed cheerfully, and Squall shot him a curious look. How he could still have so much energy when he so obviously looked beat was beyond him.

"Finally…Here, let me give you a hand until the Slow fades off," Rinoa suggested, and he didn't fight her off when she steadied him with a hand. His pace was slow and sluggish and he swayed a bit too much for comfort, but he was steadily recovering his strength. While he'd rather have made his way back on his own, there was no point in falling face first on the road and needing them to drag him up again.

With the help of Diablos' abilities, even their slow progress wasn't bothered with monsters. No one wasted magic on a Cure, as only their energy was low and by going at a measured pace, they were in no immediate danger for their lives. The rain had mostly stopped by then, as Laguna had predicted, and Squall was grateful for that small reprieve even as they accessed the elevator that would bring them in the inner city of Esthar.

---

Squall used the time it took for the Slow to fade completely to dry up, glad for the opportunity to avoid Laguna for just a little while longer. He didn't feel like talking with the man. He rarely did, in fact.

After some convincing –more so for Rinoa- he'd managed to have them go to the medical centre to be given a few rudimentary cares. He hadn't missed how Zell's cut broke open, sending clear blood mingling with the water on the road, or the limp Rinoa had developed on their way back. They were minor injuries, but sending them off would spare future magic and give him some time off by himself.

Since that last stand against Ultimecia, when Time Compression had wrapped everything around their heads, life as a mercenary and Commander had grown steadily boring. The Garden was still useful, of course, but aside from the surveillance on Galbadia and the steady contracts with Esthar to help purge the city from the monsters and stop those from the Lunar Cry to move to other continents, there was nothing to do. Just the same old patrols, their party broken up regularly between Galbadia and Esthar, and he knew that it was starting to wear out on everyone's nerves. They weren't used to routine.

Not that he was complaining about the relative peace. It allowed him to spend a few unspoiled moments with his friends, a few closer moments with Rinoa, and not having world domination or destruction hanging over their heads was definitively an improvement. But something was wrong with how their mercenary lives had turned, something was missing.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head as a headache threatened to reward him for his troubles, he stood up, flexed his arms to confirm that yes, the Slow had faded completely, though he was no less tired, and moved out of his temporary room to go and find Laguna. The sooner he dealt with that, the better it would be.

He found the man in his usual room in the Presidential Palace, flanked by Kiros and Ward. He sketched a salute, still feeling the burning in his throat from the Malboro's Bad Breath and focusing on it so that he could have something more annoying to concentrate on than the idiotic man.

"We've completed a patrol around the south western outskirts. It's still bursting with monsters, some strong enough that it's become a danger for the secured areas surrounding it," he reported as professionally as he could. He hated those contracts with Laguna, hated that he had to be one of those on the expedition because of the considerable strength of the monsters, and hated that he had no choice but to accept them to finance the Garden. Keeping it mobile was much more expensive, and it was a gap that harsh but important to mend.

Laguna sighed and scratched his head, his long, greying hair falling before his eyes despite the small ponytail he wore.

"Thank you. Well, I expected that. We don't have enough forces sufficiently strong to force them back, just to contain them."

Squall shook his head and half shrugged. It wasn't his problem, and in a way, the monsters kept them employed in a more 'acceptable' fashion.

"I know that Garden can't expend more resources for us," Laguna continued, crossing his arms and glancing at Kiros and Ward. "I might have asked Galbadia, in the extreme last possibility, but even that is out of the question for now." His voice was clearly worried, and though Squall was aware of how dangerous this situation was, he couldn't bring himself to sympathize.

"We must first reorganize our outward defences, then deal with the monsters inside. The problem is that more leak in every day before we can stop them," Kiros put in, and Ward nodded his silent approval.

"Yes, yes. How they even dare come near such a big settlement is beyond me."

Squall muted out the rest of the conversation, listening with only half an ear as the same old arguments and solutions where brought forth and discussed. He took part in these discussions only to keep himself updated on what was going on in the city that had employed SeeDs for the moment, just in case a security measure was changed that could affect their own jobs. He'd never really needed to drop in his opinion unless he was directly asked, and he mostly only listened, though even that he found annoying.

As the conversation droned on, he noticed how the pain in his back pulsed with his heart and concentrated on that, trying to see if it was more serious than he'd anticipated. Nothing hurt particularly more unless he made a straining movement, and it was the dull sort of pain rather than the sharper one that would have been alarming. He concluded that it was nothing worth worrying too much about, and that he'd just have to be careful of his movements in the future. It would probably only bruise for a few days.

At some point he realized that the conversation was ending and he snapped back to attention to catch Laguna's last words. "I'll ask him, then." Kiros and Ward turned to leave on that sentence, and Squall stepped aside to allow them access. Seeing Laguna stay in the room, looking at him, he stopped his own motion of exit, as he'd assumed he was free to go as well, and turned back with a heavy sigh.

"What do you want now?" he asked, a touch of exasperation tingeing his voice. Laguna was hovering, obviously needing to ask him about something more than a report on local monster activities.

"Would you mind coming with me to the Lunar Gate? I want to show you something," the President finally said, and Squall followed simply because he knew that if it had been anything less important, Laguna would have told him right away exactly what he'd be showing instead of holding information back.

Laguna led him through the Presidential Palace and out where a car was waiting with a few guards. Squall didn't say a word, scrambling after whatever patience he had left and deciding that, with the way it was keeping Laguna silent for once, as if the man realized he needed to keep him on his good side, it might well be worth waiting. Besides, the ride to the Lunar Gate was fast and eventless, thanks to the vehicle, and soon he was in the building again, and it looked stranger to his eyes. It was true that he hadn't taken any time to really explore or see it, so focused had he been on going in space to find Ellone.

Laguna finally stopped before a door that didn't seem to fit in the small, barely used room it was set in. From the look of the structures and the way it was lost in this faraway space, his guess was that it was recent and had been thrown in the first safe place possible.

"What's this about?" he urged, starting to grow impatient and annoyed at being kept in the dark as he followed around in a room that looked too much like a secret rebel hideout for his comfort. It was also equipped full with computers; wires and alimentation cables littered the small cluttered space.

A tech raised his head when they entered but seemed utterly unfazed, simply curious to know who was coming in, and returned to his graphics without a second look.

"After the space station was destroyed by the Lunar Cry, we've been scrambling to remake contact with the other satellites we have out there. This is what this lab is for," Laguna finally explained, moving in the crowded room until he was standing behind the tech. "Show him," he said, and the man reached to the side and entered a few codes and signals. A slightly larger screen than the rest crackled to life, and Squall focused on that image. As two orbs appeared, unfocused and blurry but both colours eye jarringly different, he had to admit that he was getting curious.

Squall would have asked what that was, but Laguna liked to talk and explain things, so he just waited to let the man say it all.

"We've managed to get a spaceship back in space and the connections re-established. We didn't expect to find anything new, but the techs found data on an old satellite lost deep enough that the new personnel mostly forgot about it. We picked this up in its recordings, and they're just close enough to catch our interest." Laguna pointed to the screen, and Squall guessed that they were two planets, though he couldn't fathom why the smaller one was a bright glowing red and the other a tamer blue.

"Ve are thinking that ve reactions might ve azociated vith ve Lunar Cry," a voice suddenly interrupted from behind him, and Squall turned to see the extravagant Dr. Odine walk in, immense collar barely fitting through the door.

"But isn't the Lunar Cry ultimately activated by the Lunatic Pandora?" Squall asked. The topic had finally piqued his interest, though he still ignored where he fit in. Reactions on faraway planets were clearly out of his authority as Commander of Garden.

"Zat iz was iz suppozed here. But look zat this now." Pushing the tech to the side, Dr. Odine punched a few buttons and the screen blacked out, slowly crackling back to life on a similar image. Squall squinted, as the recording was even blurrier and unclear. He could make out the blue planet well enough, as its colour was constant, but the red one was almost gone. He thought he could make out a reddish glow, but it was too vague to be sure.

"Is the red planet gone?" He believed it wasn't, but its colour had definitively faded out.

"Zat is unlikely. Zere iz no disturbance in ze other stars and planets to prove it. But zit haz glowed, and zit resembles the Lunar Cry," Dr. Odine finished.

Squall thought about that for a bit, then shook his head. This was so farfetched; everyone must have lost their marbles. Old recordings from an old satellite on freak planets were just too out there to be associated with anything here. Besides, the Lunar Cry had created a red mass of monsters, that's true, but it hadn't made the moon glow.

"You're stretching it too far," he simply said to express all that he thought about this whole affair. However interesting it might be, it was beyond their power to act on and not exactly their first preoccupation.

"Zere is no limit to vat can be done!" Dr. Odine declared, offended. His collar bounced as the man shook his arms, and Squall found him ridiculous.

"He's got a point. I've seen too many things happen that I thought were impossible to discard any option now," Laguna agreed, and he actually sounded grave. "Besides. Isn't this the perfect excuse to explore space a little deeper?" Now he sounded like the idiot again, and Squall suddenly regretted having agreed to come, as he knew nothing good was going to come of this.

"Whatever. What's this got to do with me?" He was not going to waste one more minute in this stuffy room if everything Laguna was going to do is rant about a kid's visions of space travel.

"Straight to the point, as always. I'll be just as frank, then. We can't travel so far, not with our hastily patched spaceships. We need the Ragnarok. We calculated that, with a few adjustments and the right amount if fuel, it could go far enough to properly monitor the planets." Laguna looked straight at him, a little sheepish, but also dreadfully serious.

"We're not astronauts." Could he let go of the spaceship so easily? Not really. He couldn't move the Garden all around the globe for nothing anymore, since the students and the other SeeD contracts had to be considered, and the Ragnarok was the quickest and easiest way to access Esthar and most other remote regions.

"Of course. We'd send technicians with you, and your job would be to keep them safe."

"Who would replace us here?"

_Wait, your job? When did he ask about 'us', when did I agree? _

You just did, obviously.

Squall listened as Laguna told him of the procedures Kiros, Ward and him had developed in that case. Apparently, it had already been agreed that the whole 'sorceress slayer team' would be going. Squall couldn't fathom exactly what the technicians would have to be defended against in a ship in outer space, but he didn't object. He was tired of the monster missions, of the dull patrol and political meetings with Galbadia. Going in space might be a nice change of scenery for all of them and seemed the perfect opportunity to wear off the edge that had settled on the group.

"Great! We'll start the work on the Ragnarok as soon as possible!" Laguna almost ran out of the room in his hurry to go give the orders, and seeing no point in staying here, Squall followed, thinking.

They were going in space again, this time too far to be rocketed there. They'd be flying a spaceship, to Selphie's delight. Seeing outer space. In the end, if that wasn't enough to get everyone's mind off the dullness of what their mercenary life had become, nothing would. That was the best he could do.

* * *

"Zidane, _listen to me!_" 

The blond haired genome blinked his eyes in surprise and sketched a quick smile through pure reflex.

"But I am!" he said quickly, brain scrambling to remember what she'd been babbling about before he doze off. "I know you're going through the list of guests again, see?" he said finally, not raising his head from how he was leaning on his arms propped on the back of the chair.

Garnet shot him a sharp look and raised her chin in a manner that told Zidane in no two ways that he had better tread carefully.

"Of course you do, the list is right here under your eyes. But at which guest was I now, and why did I stop to debate over it?" she asked, victory tingeing her voice already, with annoyance a close second.

"Sir S-something? You know, _him_." Of course, half the Sirs had names starting with S, and it was the vaguest answer he could give, as well as tell clearly that she'd been right, he hadn't been listening. But these preparations were killing him. He didn't know more than ten people on that list, and he'd given up on trying to understand all these finer high-level politics and squabbling long ago. He knew it was important, but that was why Garnet was Queen. She kept herself informed and told him where to hit and maybe why. It was enough for him.

Garnet sighed deeply as she set down the sheets of thick paper she'd been sorting through, pushing them aside and eyeing Zidane with guarded resignation.

"I need your help with this, Zidane. I cannot do it all alone," she said, and Zidane winced inwardly at her tone. She'd shifted from deadly menacing to the 'we need to talk' voice, and he usually preferred the former. At least she exploded all at once, yelled at him, ignored him for a day or two, and then it was good again. But that? It could mean weeks of walking on eggshells.

"I know, I know. But you've been through that list five times already. Just leave it be, alright? You'll just end up confusing yourself. Besides, the invitations have to be sent soon," he assured, trying for a more logical approach on the matter, to make it look like he'd been dozing, yes, but had every reason to be. Distracting her from the matter at hand was not a bad idea at this point as well.

Garnet considered him for a long time, long enough that Zidane thought that maybe he'd played his cards wrong, but then she etched a small smile and sighed.

"You're right. We should concentrate on other matters, this is not the only thing to be organized," she finally conceded before standing up. Zidane was never happier to stretch his legs and followed her example gladly, popping a few vertebrae at the same time as he stretched his arms.

"Not now, baby. We've been at it all morning and for the better part of the afternoon. Everything essential's been dealt with ages ago, why don't we take a break for a bit?" he suggested, the idea striking him suddenly. He wasn't exaggerating, for once. He was immensely sick of sitting and moving around names on a map of a dining room, or trying to get it through Quina's head that there wouldn't be any frogs on the menu. Some distraction would do him good. And her. Especially her; she had twice as much work of that kind to deal with, what with the matters of the state.

"I can't. I have to meet the Master Architect and see how the development of the new shipyard is going, and then Beatrix would like to talk to me about the state of some of our defence posts, and-" Zidane cut her then, raising his hands up and shaking his head.

"Ok, stop right there. The Master Architect can wait, and Beatrix isn't dumb, she'll understand if you call in sick for once. I haven't seen you take a single break yet. Ever," he argued.

Garnet huffed and placed her hands on her hips, and Zidane thought that the dress, though she often complained about it, only added to her intimidating figure, as strange as it sounded. To those who only knew her as the Queen, it only made sure they never forgot exactly what position of power she held.

"That's because I can't. I'm already putting off some duties to prepare everything, I can't skip anything more!"

"Oh, fine. But you know, Vivi's leaving for the Black Village tomorrow morning, and he barely got to see you outside formal meetings. He's going to be pretty bummed out that you couldn't find time for even that," he said on a tone that said he didn't care, but as he watched Garnet start back in surprise and hesitate, he knew he'd chosen the right words.

"Is he leaving so early? I thought we had more time!" Garnet cast about, torn between duty and friendship, and then suddenly stopped to stare intently at Zidane. "You manipulative… You're saying that in your own interests!"

"Damn, found out," Zidane scratched his head with a guilty smile to try and soothe Garnet's rapidly flaring temper. "Sure, I have something to win from this, but I'm not lying. Vivi really is leaving in the morning, and if you want to have a chance to see him one last time in a few months, now's your last opportunity," he ended.

Garnet looked at him for some time again before finally surrendering all arms in the form of a deep sigh.

"Alright, alright. Just wait for me outside; I'm going to have a message sent to Master Farwin and find Beatrix to explain. I shouldn't be long," she conceded, and Zidane nodded his approval and watched her until she'd disappeared around a corner before moving himself.

---

Zidane sat on the edge if the miniature river separating the castle from the town, legs dangling, watching as the soldiers ferried people back and forth, back and forth, from the castle to the city itself. It grew steadily boring, but since he had yet to find a better distraction, he willed himself into finding it even remotely interesting. 'I shouldn't be long' was always an abstract notion with Garnet, especially when she was putting off meeting people. She was probably doing that whole conversation in fast-forward with Beatrix right this moment.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Zidane threw his head back to see Garnet, or rather Dagger, as he preferred calling her when she was out of the Queen's dress, standing behind him in her old orange outfit. Some people knew those clothes and knew they were hers, but not enough that she couldn't walk down in the city mostly unnoticed.

"No problem. Come on, let's go see him before you change your mind," he said as he stood up, waving for a soldier to wait before rowing off to the opposite shore.

Vivi had taken up to staying in the city when he was visiting. He couldn't feel comfortable in the castle, he said. It was too formal, and some still looked at him weird for being a black mage. Dagger had insisted, but the little guy could prove surprisingly stubborn, and he'd only accepted when she'd offered some financial aid, and only so she would stop worrying. So he ended up lodging in a modest but clean inn and gave all the extra money back to Zidane who eventually fed it back to the castle coffers.

The little black mage was rarely in the inn itself, being the busybody he was, so Zidane wasn't surprised when they met him on the road. He spotted the bobbing hat easily and pointed it to Dagger, who was quick to jostle through the crowd and call after Vivi. He followed at a more sedate pace, as he'd had more time to see him than she'd had.

"Vivi! I'm so sorry I couldn't see you sooner! I heard you were leaving tomorrow morning?"

Zidane listened as they exchanged a few polite pleasantries, thinking that they really matched each other in that department, and threw in a few comments himself, just to keep the drive into the conversation.

"Are the preparations going well?" Vivi asked finally, and this time he jumped in to answer before Dagger could start fussing about this or that that she thought wasn't moving fast enough or wasn't done well enough.

"They're moving along just fine. Don't worry, everything'll be done and perfect!" he stated with a decisive nod, and he heard Dagger snort beside him, but she didn't comment further.

"I'm sorry I'm leaving like this. I promise that I'm going to be back in time for the wedding, though," Vivi apologized, only to have Dagger shake her head with a smile.

"We know Vivi, don't worry. You have important things to attend as well." Dagger's sidelong glance was definitively sarcastic, Zidane decided.

"Exactly. You have all your little Vivis to take care of! Besides, it's just a regular trip back home, like all the others, what could happen this time?" Zidane said, and Vivi played with his hat like he always did when he wasn't too sure about something.

"Yes, but it's still your wedding, and…" he hesitated, and Dagger went to wrap arms around him.

"It's alright. It's not the ceremony just yet, the preparations aren't so important," she reassured.

"Yeah, so long as you bring us back a present from the village, what can we say?"

Vivi didn't hesitate too long before nodding.

"Right, I'll be sure to find you something special!"

Knowing Vivi, Zidane was fairly sure that the black mage would surprise the hell out of him with whatever he'd think of. He trusted him to do that.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter 2  
_Rating: **G for now, ratings will go up in the next chapters.  
**Warning: **None, maybe violence if you stretch it. Yaoi in future chapters.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs still rule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Ok, I'd planned the actual crossover to start in this chapter but...it didn't. Squall spoke way too much to me, and took up a whole chapter for himself, the little selfish prick. I'm very sorry, and I promise the next chapter will see the two worlds collide. Really! Or I'll get bored myself.

"And you accepted? Are you sure about this?" Rinoa hadn't had the expected reaction. She'd actually strongly disapproved of his taking the party in space. "Who's going to stay here to help? Esthar needs all the extra arms it can get!"

Squall held back a sigh and tried to keep his voice as neutral as possible. Now he understood why Rinoa didn't have any trouble with fighting monsters: she saw it as a sort of humanitarian gesture. She'd taken a small liking to Laguna, and so he could see why she'd feel closer to this particular case than any other. The difference lay there, where she would do it for free while the only reason SeeDs were here was because it was written on paper with gils backing it up. With the world threat over and Garden expenses to consider, they unfortunately couldn't afford any free help, especially not from their strongest party, so Esthar had to pay like any others. He was once again forced to see how different she was in that aspect from the SeeDs, and it wasn't something that would ever change.

"Laguna's hiring our skills. He's the one who chooses where to use them, not us," he answered with a slight shake of his head. It wasn't that simple, he knew, but at the base it really was basically that. If the man thought they'd be more useful babysitting technicians in a closed spaceship, it was fine by him. Good money, and a distraction for the group.

"It's all just about the contract again." Rinoa's voice had dropped as she looked down in a clear show of disappointment. He didn't know what she'd expected to hear, but it wasn't what he'd just said.

"What else can it be about?" Laguna was an important employer, true, but if not him, then they'd be looking elsewhere. SeeDs were in high demand, especially after the ordeal with Ultimecia that had mutated into publicity for Garden, and they couldn't afford to ignore the other offers to give free help to Esthar, not with everything the Garden cost.

"Many things!" she cried back, face a mix of exasperation and anger at his stubbornness. "You could have refused, and then we'd have stayed here where we're needed more. Sending everyone in space is just a waste of talent."

_Sending Irvine and Selphie in Galbadia is a bigger waste. Doing monster duty all the time is driving Zell insane. It's driving _me _insane. Everyone's tired and bored and someone's going to crack at one point. They have to be able to do something different for once before it happens. Why can't you understand that?_

"Whatever."

Rinoa glared at him. She hated that answer, hated how it shut her out of his mind. She knew there was more, that his thoughts encompassed something larger than 'whatever'. Still, some things weren't worth fighting over, and he believed this was such a case. He wouldn't change his mind, and Quistis had already been contacted back in Garden so that she could start organizing things with Xu for their absence. And after he'd seen how Zell was thrilled at the idea, he was sure that Selphie would be twice as happy, and he couldn't deny them that.

"Is that all you have to say?" she challenged, to which he simply shrugged.

"You're not a SeeD. If you don't want to go, just stay," he answered, and it sounded wrong even to his ears. Bringing up that fundamental difference between her and them, setting her apart, was something he despised doing and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. It was true, she wasn't under any obligations to come, as were the others per contract, but he still wanted her with him. He wanted her at his side while they were in space for the second time, and this time they'd enjoy it without the threat of death overshadowing the mood.

But he couldn't say those words.

"Fine! Have a nice trip then," she spat, and he could see tears brimming her eyes at his words. She'd always been touchy on that subject, as she still often felt that she didn't belong in their mercenary world. They were the best words to drive her out, and they did. The door slammed noisily as she bolted out of the room.

Squall watched the blank, even door, and only old habits prevented him from doing violence to the furniture.

He was acutely conscious that he'd screwed everything. He'd challenged her with something she held dear and attacked her on a weak spot, so he didn't expect to see her in space anymore. She might still surprise him though, deciding to come through some logic of hers, but he didn't put any hopes in that possibility. He'd learned his lesson long ago, and he had no intention of getting foolish hopes crushed. It was better not to bother.

When he stepped outside to meet Zell, who'd been waiting on him while he asked Rinoa to come along to FH through the Great Salt Lake, he was suddenly happy at the prospect of slaughtering monsters. Normally, he'd simply use Diablos' ability to avoid trouble, but he needed to get some frustration out of his system before it built up and he destroyed something more valuable and less expendable than furniture. Leaving the Ragnarok behind for its modifications was suddenly a very good idea.

The first Torama that crossed his path was clearly overkill. Zell wisely hung back, letting him do the heavy fighting for once, as the martial artist more often than not claimed that role with his fists. He felt the cold sensation of an Esuna once, though he couldn't tell what he'd been hit with. Frankly, he couldn't tell the difference between being Berserk state and normal right now.

The next monsters were luckier, in a way, though it was only a small margin over mindless hacking and slashing. Thoughts of Rinoa and their short fight were behind every hit and powered every slice, though he didn't think farther, losing himself in the heat of the fight. He wanted to beat all of his pent-up frustration out, and in the long run he ended up throwing in everything he'd accumulated over the months, so that it took until they reached the eastern borders of the Salt Lake before he could think straight again without getting sudden violent urges.

"I've been meaning to ask, but why didn't Rinoa come with us?" Zell asked when they stopped for a short breath and a junction re-arrangement. His voice was perfectly even and normal, as if he hadn't just seen him on a butcher-y killing spree.

"She wanted to stay there to help," he answered just as casually. It was perfectly true, though not the whole story.

"So you guys had a fight, hey," he said with laughter in his voice, only to wave a dismissive hand when he saw Squall's expression. "I'm not askin'! I was just thinking out loud, I guess," he quickly amended, though his smile was wide and knowing.

Squall let the slip go, seeing no point in bringing up his argument with Rinoa. Zell hadn't asked for precisions, so he didn't see why he'd volunteer any. He was grateful for that and for how Zell sometimes knew exactly how to deal with his moods and reactions. He didn't consider him his best friend for nothing, after all.

"Come on, let's go kick some monster butt," Zell offered with a cheeky grin and didn't even wait for Squall before starting down into the Great Salt Lake.

Squall followed, changing Diablos' junction as he went. He'd believed that they could take it easy from here now that Zell didn't have to endure his urge to randomly kill monsters, but just keeping a low encounter rate would do as well, especially when Zell made it sound like it was the highlight of his day.

---

"Seifer, what are you doing here?" Squall asked neutrally, but his hand was hovering over the hilt of the Lionheart. It wasn't exactly intentional, but it wasn't only instincts, either. Especially not when the man had his own Hyperion buckled.

Squall had talked to Quistis and Xu as soon as he'd arrived, and they'd cleared the first details of their prolonged absence. It had gone smoothly enough, with Quistis being as professional as always, but then she'd just hesitated when the important problems had been dealt with. The news of Seifer's barging in Garden had caught him by surprise, as he hadn't thought he'd ever put a single toe back here, and he'd hurried to see what he could possibly want, hating that he'd been here for almost a whole day before he arrived himself.

"Come on, Squally-boy, aren't you happy to see me?" The taller man smirked, trusting his hands to the side in his usual fashion.

"What do you want?" He wouldn't rise to the bait, as he had no definite answer to give in any case. Was he happy to see Seifer? Certainly not, but he couldn't say he was completely unhappy, either. Just wary. They'd been rivals longer than enemies, and that left a mark that would never be erased.

"As boring as ever, I see." Seifer shook his head with a pitying smile that made Squall's hand itch around his weapon's hilt. "But if you want to know so bad, I came here because I heard you were going on a little trip in space," he finally answered, and his voice held something that Squall couldn't qualify, though he decided not to dwell on it. It was always better not to, with Seifer.

"That's got nothing to do with you," Squall deadpanned, wishing to put an end to this useless conversation as quickly as he could. He still had many things to organize in Garden before he could go back to Esthar and deal with things there.

"You'd be surprised," Seifer countered, and now Squall was definitively wary of the light in the blond man's eyes, and he dreaded that smirk that usually meant nothing good. "It wouldn't do for you to get a vacation like this without sharing."

_I'm not going alone. What is he driving at..?_

"You're not coming, Seifer," he stated when he finally understood what the man was meaning with all of his little snide comments. He earned himself a laugh for his words, and he responded with a cold glare.

"I'm not asking your permission, Squally-boy. FH is driving me up the walls, and I'm an outcast everywhere else, so I'll be bumming a ride whether you want to or not," he boldly affirmed, as if he really could do such a thing without the proper clearance.

That got Squall thinking, though, because despite what Seifer was saying, he'd obviously asked for permission. But since when did the man ask to do anything?

He's got no choice. He can't sneak on board with all of us on guard, not now that we know he's not in FH anymore. If he hadn't shown up in Garden, maybe...But he has, and now we know that he's aware of our plans. He doesn't have a choice but to ask.

Squall was about to say as much when something about this whole situation stopped him. He didn't want to bring Seifer, that was for sure, and his squabbling with Zell would be driving _him_ up the walls soon enough, but suddenly he thought that it might be for the best to put his personal feelings aside and let him join the expedition. Something about how Seifer looked at him, as defiant as always but with a depth in his eyes that told of stronger feelings than he let on, and the desperation –so slight he believed he was imagining it- in his voice pushed him into relenting. Seifer still suffered from his past role as Sorceress Knight, and maybe he really was going crazy through it all. And Squall knew from experience that a crazy Seifer was better to be avoided. He didn't want to come back from space to see that the man had caused any serious damage through whatever new dream he'd created for himself to escape reality.

"Whatever," he said noncommittally. Seifer didn't need to know that he'd be dropping a word to the techs so they let him 'sneak in' if he tried. It was already assumed as much, as he needed his interference to be able to come, and that was enough.

"You'll see more of me, so don't get too eager now!" Seifer declared, tone derisive at Squall's usual 'whatever' that Rinoa hadn't quite managed to stamp out, before turning and stalking away. Even after everything, Squall had to admit that a tiny, tiny part of him still admired how Seifer could just keep that attitude of his, walking like a graceful predator on the roam, as if no one was shying away from him, closing doors in his face, singling him out. He had pride in spades, and the day Squall would see that red-crossed trench coat off his back would be for nothing less than total world destruction.

Just as he left, Zell arrived in the main entrance, and from the look of surprise and utter annoyance mixed with anger on his face, Squall knew he'd encountered Seifer on his way in. He considered himself lucky not to have heard the resulting short but powerful crash.

"Squall! Did you see Seifer? What in Ifrit's name is he doing here?" he asked loudly, clenching and unclenching his fists. The chicken wuss insult would never die, it seemed.

"Nothing you need to worry about," he answered dismissively. He didn't feel like dealing with him right now, not when he'd be asked question after question and yelled at or argued with or whatever other annoying form of communication. First Rinoa, then Seifer, and now Zell. No, he really had had enough for the day.

Zell threw a few punches into thin air, obviously visualizing a blond gunblade master on the receiving end of his powerful Ergheiz gloves.

"Anything concerning Seifer worries me!" he declared. A few imprecations later he'd calmed down and cast Squall a hopeful look before heaving a sigh. "Yeah I know, nothin' I need to worry about. Got it. I know you can deal with him anyways," he finally answered, scratching the back of his head. "He's just an annoying son of a bitch."

Squall shrugged, but he suddenly regretted not telling Zell about Seifer. He knew his temper would flare -it was unavoidable so long as it concerned Zell and Seifer-, but then again, he'd most probably be stuck in the same confined space for quite a while. It wasn't fair of him to deny him the slightest hint, so that his surprise wouldn't be total. Zell also often showed great insight on his behalf, knowing when to stop insisting, understanding his reactions and what he wanted, if not the thoughts behind them. He was a bit like Rinoa, but inside out. Maybe this time he'd also get the hint and not insist too much. After deciding to allow Seifer on the trip, it was the least he could do to repay him the hellish days the martial artist would be spending soon.

"He was just being annoying, raving about our mission in space," he said. Predictably, Zell's eyes narrowed challengingly and he snorted.

"Arrogant bastard! I bet he'd like going out there. Too bad for him!" he declared, and Squall was infinitively grateful that Zell wasn't asking him any more on that subject. It was startling how right he was about Seifer. Actually, the man wanted to go so much that he'd come and asked if he could, though it had been in such a way that anybody else but Seifer and him wouldn't have understood either question or answer.

"Did you need something?" Squall asked before the situation got out of hand and Zell did ask for his opinion on the matter.

The martial artist stopped his mock hits, blinking in surprise as his mind was diverted back to the matter at hand.

"Oh, yeah. A message, actually. Irvine and Selphie just got back, and I told them I'd help looking for you," he said, suddenly calm again as the focus wasn't on Seifer anymore. Squall had always been surprised with how Zell could switch moods so easily, from overly happy to utterly pissed and back again. "They're up on the third floor with Quistis and Xu, I bet they got the news already," he continued.

Squall nodded his thanks and started moving towards the elevator, leaving Zell to go and pester the cafeteria ladies, keeping his pace sedate to allow himself some time to think. After those two, everyone would be warned and kept away from further contracts that could delay the launch, and he'd have more help in preparing things. It was a relief, but as he mentally listed all that still had to be done regardless of how many hands and eyes he'd have to help, Squall let out a small sigh, wishing that he could have a break from being Commander.

Would he ever be granted a break? Probably not until he died or retired, and he was frankly too young to even consider that. He could always quit, but what would he have after that? His gunblade and a hollow pit in his chest. Just like Seifer, but he had Fujin and Raijin with him most of the time. Would others come with him like that? Probably Rinoa. It was a relief to be so sure that the girl would follow him, as he doubted that he'd survive long without her at his side, but it wasn't enough, not if he were to quit. Now he knew what kind of light he'd seen in Seifer's eyes earlier, understood the tone in his voice, and he wanted none of it for himself.

_I'm thinking too much..._

At the elevator, Squall punched the button and waited, forcing himself to keep a blank mind and think only of thinking nothing. It worked, for the most part, though it also made him edgy. In the end, as the elevator doors slid open with a soft whoosh, he surrendered all arms and simply let his mind wander over trivialities until anything else smacked him in the face.

As Zell had said, Irvine and Selphie were standing with Quistis and Xu on deck. They turned when they saw him take the small elevator up, and Selphie called a cheerful welcome before he'd even moved fully in the smaller room.

Surprisingly, Squall felt a smile tug at his own lips when he saw the cheerful girl and her cowboy. He held it back through sheer habit, but he knew that here at least, even if there were questions and doubts, they would be _happy_. He didn't like admitting it, but he needed all the cheerfulness he could get right now.

---

The next few days passed in a flurry of activity on the group's part as they prepared for their departure. Once Garden was ordered and ready to run for as long as it needed without its strongest forces and Commander, they returned to Esthar to the hastily patched up space training program and the overseeing of the Ragnarok changes. Selphie was especially present in the later, as she felt it her duty to make sure the ship came out of it intact.

Squall took no real pleasure in those days. He was excited to be leaving, to an extent, but something was highly dampening his mood, and that was Rinoa's absence. He knew from one of Laguna's comments that the girl was taking an active part in the expeditions against monsters and was out most of the time if she wasn't in the medical centre helping with her considerable array of healing magic. He hadn't had any chance to talk to her and clear the conflict, if possible, and he had the distinct impression that she was avoiding him. It did a great deal to destroy the joy he should have felt at flying off in space for something that didn't include politicians or monsters.

It had been agreed that they would launch in the morning, and upon waking, Squall almost decided not to go. He would've gone through with it, but then he remembered Seifer and couldn't make up his mind. Not only did he have responsibilities that he couldn't throw away at the last minute like this, but he also had to make sure that the man didn't cause lasting damage during the trip. He hated making that decision, but he wanted to see his friends injured no more than his relationship with Rinoa, which could be patched up upon coming back. He didn't think it had been so serious a fight that it needed immediate attention. As he'd sometimes heard, maybe leaving her to her own devices for a while would help more than hanging back and hunting after her.

_But what if Seifer doesn't come, and it would have been better to stay?_

The thought sneaked through unwarranted and made him pause, reconsidering everything. It all changed with that simple possibility, and Squall found himself hesitating again when the decision was made for him.

Someone knocked at the door and Squall opened it to reveal one of the security supervisors. His face was blank and his eyes carefully guarded, though his hands looked sweaty.

"Security tapes have found traces of a suspicious character in the hangar area," he said immediately, and those guarded eyes darted to the side to make sure they were alone. "Seifer Almasy. Do we intercept him?"

It was a show of the man's intelligence that he'd asked before doing anything. In space, Squall would be the leading authority on security, so it figured that he was the one to decide who came and who didn't. Also, just in case it was something planned that didn't need security intervention, one always better ask said authority figure to avoid useless trouble.

Besides, it wasn't as if they'd have succeeded very well in trying to intercept him without the SeeDs' help.

"Leave him alone," he answered. The man looked surprised, his hands twitching, but it was quickly hidden as he nodded.

"Yes, sir." It was spoken in a flat tone, neutral and not questioning the higher authority's decision. It wasn't his business to think and ask. Just to watch and report.

The man left and Squall took a few minutes to check on his pack, counting for one last time the items he was bringing, going through his available magic and buckling the Lionheart. He then left and headed straight for the hangar where the Ragnarok was being done a few last quick adjustments before the launch. He'd asked that they be given some sort of quarters at the Lunar Gate so that they wouldn't waste time on making their way from Esthar.

Selphie was already there, hovering over the technicians' shoulders. She looked back and waved one arm to catch his attention, though it was a futile gesture as her voice was more than enough.

"Good morning Squall!" she called cheerfully and Squall walked to her.

"Good morning," he echoed more sedately, mood still thwarted because of Rinoa's absence.

"You're late! These guys have been at it all night!" she stated with a touch of reprimand, as though she'd expected them to wait on her before working on the ship. She'd become increasingly fond of the Ragnarok, almost to an obsessive point.

"You're the early riser, Selphie," Irvine added from the doorway he'd just stepped through. He covered a yawn and scratched the nape of his neck, his eyes scanning the room with sleep still fogging them. "And they're just crazy," he commented, pointing with his head towards the working technicians.

"Of course I'm up early, we're going in space!"

Squall could understand why Selphie was so existed; she hadn't come in space with him when they'd been running after Ellone. As he saw the two squabble gently, he decided to leave them to their own business and headed towards the head engineer, a capable man he'd come to respect highly.

"How much time?" he asked in a matter of greeting, motioning towards the ship.

"As soon as your party is assembled and ready to go. Everything has been done, we're simply triple checking," the engineer answered, nodding as a technician came to report something. A note was quickly scribbled on his pad.

"Has the technical team arrived?" he asked next. He thought back on the four men they'd be babysitting and couldn't help agreeing with Rinoa on one part: it was absolutely useless for them all to go. For that reason. He didn't particularly care about that though, and more about brining the morals back up.

"Yes. They're in the ship with the equipment," the engineer answered and Squall nodded.

"Make sure the ship is ready for departure in thirty minutes," he said as he saw Quistis step inside, her cool gaze not affected by sleep at all.

"Yes, sir."

The SeeDs were all assembled within ten minutes, prepped up and already moving in the Ragnarok, checking the seats, the small living quarters and generally being excited. Squall didn't waste too much time, simply putting away his Lionheart in the straps made to that effect in his tiny room before going on deck. It wouldn't do for the blade to fly everywhere during the launch.

Selphie was there with two technicians who actually knew how to fly the ship in space, and she was eagerly listening to their explanations as they moved the Ragnarok out of the hangar and to the launching pad. Radio calls crackled to life as commands were issued and answered in a static jumble Squall had trouble making out. Still, he could clearly see the launching rails as they curled up towards the sky and knew they were only a few minutes from flying in that endless blue.

"Flying it in space sounds almost the same as in the air! I'm going to be able to fly it myself in no time!" Selphie stated over her shoulder when she heard the elevator slid up.

"Don't get in their way for now," he said with a touch of amusement at her buoyancy. Then, turning to the pilots, his face grew heavy again. " Is everything ready?" he asked.

Something shook the Ragnarok then, the ship moving until it was steadied again, and it couldn't have been better aligned with the rails if they'd tried. The one who looked like the leading pilot and of whom he'd forgotten the name listened to some more radio calls, pressed a few commands and answered before nodding to Squall from his seat.

"We're all clear, sir. Just get your team buckled in the passenger room and we'll be off," he answered.

Squall could practically feel the surges of power under his feet as he made his way to the large passenger room where the others were already sitting and waiting with various degrees of nervousness. The engines were humming to life, and the knowledge that they would power up even more soon made his blood run fast despite his mood.

He'd been asleep on his first launch, and he intended to enjoy this one no matter what.

The buckles weren't exactly comfortable, as they bit into his shoulder and hips, and so he was tempted to fidget restlessly. He forced himself to stay calm, though the knowledge of Seifer's presence didn't help, nor the guilt he was starting to feel for allowing him on board. The blond man hadn't manifested himself yet, as he wouldn't dare move about until they were in outer space and he was safe from being kicked out, but it didn't matter. He was here, a fact only confirmed by his signalled presence, and it made Squall nervous and painfully aware of another girl's absence.

As his thoughts spiralled down to Rinoa, whatever exaltation he might have felt before leaked out of him. He hadn't expected her to show up, but it still hurt. The ship rumbled and moved forward, picking up speed, and he couldn't make himself enjoy the thrill it stirred in everyone else anymore. Seifer suddenly didn't sound like an acceptable excuse; more like the solution that would cause the least harm; less, but harm nonetheless.

When the scenery blurred by so fast that it dizzied him, when Zell's thrilled yell was buried by the roaring engines, when finally the ship lost all contact with the ground, filling the cabin with a sort of unconnected shaking, it felt as if he'd left a part of himself broken and dying on the rails of the steaming launcher.

The Ragnarok sped forward, powered by additional thrusters they'd discard after reaching space, and it steadied as it reached the higher stratums of the sky. The level of noise died down in the room, or maybe it was the blood that stopped pounding in his ears.

"Look at that! We can't see anything already!" Zell exclaimed, nearly breaking his neck as he strained to see the rapidly fading land.

"It's amazing," Quistis agreed, slightly breathless.

"It would be even better if everyone was here," Irvine put in, and there was no doubting that he wasn't talking about Selphie.

"He's right. Why didn't Rinoa come?" Quistis asked and fixed those piercing eyes of hers on him. He might have managed to escape Irvine's inquiry, and hers by a stretch, but then Zell would have picked up the torch and he wouldn't be left at peace until he gave some form of answer.

"She wanted to stay behind to help Laguna," he answered simply. It was true on the whole line but left out any part he didn't want them to know. It was satisfying enough of an answer that he thought he might escape further questions. He trusted at least Zell to pick up the hint like he'd done before.

"It doesn't exactly surprise me coming from her, but I'd thought she'd prefer coming in space, especially with you," Irvine put in, and Squall hated his insightfulness then.

"Whatever." It was none of their business.

Zell was sitting behind him, just in front of Irvine, and Squall saw their reflection on the windows as he leaned back between the seats with a knowing smile.

"They had a fight," he stage whispered, and Squall resolutely ignored any comments made in his direction after that. At least they had the sense not to bother him about it.

He tuned out the conversation springing up around him between the SeeDs and the other two technicians sitting in the passenger room. The sky became steadily darker as they neared outer space, until it grew almost as dark as night, with only the eerie spaceship lights making their skin turn a ghostly white. Time passed without him counting it too much until the ship steadied and the engines silenced to a low and gentle humming.

"We're in space, guys!" Selphie's voice shouted in the speakers. "You can get up now," she added almost as an afterthought.

Squall was already freeing himself from the uncomfortable buckles' bite and stood up, easing his legs and the knots that had formed in his neck. One look outside told him all he needed to know.

The planet was smaller than he'd thought, and it was only when he saw the moon that he understood that they'd waited until they were free of its gravitational pull before slowing the engines. Its colour had nothing to be envied, however, and he was charmed with the way blues and greens mixed and practically shone from the planet.

If only she'd been here to see it with him…

He was already pushing away from the window when he heard the door slid open, preceding Zell's outraged yell by a second.

"The hell! What are you doin' here, Seifer!"

"Surprised, chicken wuss?" came the sneering reply.

Squall pressed his palms to his eyes with a mute groan as the squabbling began, wishing to whatever deity to give him enough patience to deal with the two of them without any blood being spilled.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 3_**  
**Rating: **PG-13, ratings might go up in other chapters  
**Warnings: **Slight gore.Yaoi in further chapters

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Haha, the crossover does start but...well...the one scene went out of proportions and took up a whole chapter. A long chapter. -.-;; So it doesn't fully kick in yet, though it does in the 4th chapter, which I've already started writing. My apologies... (seems I do that a lot)!

"What's going on?"

Sirens were ripping through the air in a deafening melody, red lights flashing and painting the walls the color of blood. Squall had rushed on deck, the Lionheart buckled in reflex, as he doubted that it would be useful against whatever problem had surged up, and found Selphie trying to calm one of the panicking scientists down.

"That!" Selphie pointed outside where meteorites were surrounding them, closing in dangerously. "They're going to crash us and destroy the ship!" she added, as of if the matter wasn't obvious enough already.

Now he knew where that collision had come from. It had rocked the ship seconds before the alarms had started screeching, and if the hysterics of one of the scientists were to be trusted, it had damaged the ship rather badly. And more were coming.

"Is there any way to go through or around them?" he asked, remaining calm. He heard the elevator behind him, closely followed by the rest of the team's worried voices.

The lead scientist shook his head, calm and steady in a resigned way. "The asteroids have caught us in a net, and the Ragnarok isn't agile enough to cross _that_," he answered, gesturing towards the window in a lazy, tired manner.

As Squall looked at the panicking scientist and his defeated officer, he was reminded of why he more often than not hated civilians in emergency situations.

"Wasn't it your job to make sure we were ready for something like this?" Seifer growled behind him.

"This isn't the time for that!" Quistis snapped, instructor voice rising against Seifer. "Squall, we need to do something!"

Rocks hit the hull, upsetting the ship and nearly throwing a few off balance. _Do something. _Squall cursed inwardly at having to be the one to assume the decision alone. He'd always hated how he was continually forced into a leading position, hated how he accepted it, and now was no exception. Thinking fast, he scrambled for their last option.

"Go for the planet! Land!" he ordered forcefully.

"But sir! We don't have any coordinates for landing, and we don't know the landscape, we'll crash! And the asteroids, they've damaged the thrusters, we'll never have enough power to stay airborne, much less control the ship!" the panicked scientist countered, rolling crazy eyes and almost foaming at the mouth.

Seifer didn't wait. He pointed the Hyperion at the man's throat, his collected calm oozing danger and threat against anyone that disobeyed him. The scientist swallowed audibly, forcing himself to calm down in the face of this immediate danger. Sweat rolled down his temples and forehead.

"You heard the Commander. It's either that or the asteroids. _Land_," he insisted, and the scientist squeaked and turned to the commands.

"Everyone, junction your GF and magic for maximum defense." Squall reached for his own deities, putting everything he could in surviving the inevitable crash. He didn't know if it would be enough. He didn't want to think that it wouldn't be.

The ship roared to life, engines drowning out the alarms. It would not be easily controlled, as the thrusters couldn't work at similar powers, but finally it was aimed in the right angle and the Ragnarok gave its all as the landing operation was engaged.

Images blurred in the windows. The group bumped elbows in the cramped space, but all refused to leave, to be separated from a single member of the group. Dark blue faded to a lighter shade even as flames licked at the hull, and the ship shook so much that none could keep their balance.

The ship heaved once, twice, as it broke through clouds at alarming speed. Squall for the hundredth time, but this time he wasn't so lucky. The back of his head hit a wall with enough force to kill, red exploding behind closed eyelids before fading to black, an unforgiving pit that swallowed all senses.

---

Squall groaned when he regained consciousness. The first thing he managed to marvel at was that he was still alive, the next was pain in his head, then in his left leg that pulsed fire through his veins with each heartbeat. The last was that there were pieces of wreck pinning him down.

With an effort he started pushing those off, his head spinning painfully, and he moved slowly, being careful of his movements less it upset his leg and any scrap metal that might be stuck in it, or in case the bone was broken. It didn't feel like a fracture, but he couldn't take enough precautions.

Once everything had been cleared from his upper body, Squall pushed himself up on his hands, taking a sharp hissing breath when it made his leg shift and pain shot up the limb. Looking down, he saw that a long swollen red gash ran from his feet to his knee, fresh blood dampening the earth all around. After careful probes and much-repressed curses and brushes with unconsciousness, he guessed that it wasn't broken, or only very slightly fractured.

As he reached for Leviathan's Recover ability, sending the healing magic through his body so that not only the deep gash, but also every other minor injury he sported would be healed, he looked around, searching for his friends.

He first spotted the corner of a beige coat. Seifer or Irvine? The person stirred, raising up a blond-haired head. Seifer, then. Near him, a red glove. Zell. Farther behind him, Quistis. Squall dragged himself to his feet, his balance fragile from his spinning head and his leg's wound that would break if strained. Behind him, he could see Selphie lying unconscious near a scientist. Her breathing seemed labored. Only Irvine left. Where was Irvine?

Squall took a few careful steps forward, dodging shrapnel and metal and other pieces of red hull that had caved in. The main bulk of the ship was a broken skeleton, with patches of blue sky visible through holes in the roof and walls and lazy trails of smoke dancing in the breeze from a few piles of charred materials. Squall concentrated on finding his way without cutting a toe off instead of on the wreck he was scrambling through.

He didn't want to think that they were stranded.

He reached Seifer first, who had managed to climb to his feet and was now leaning against a torn but standing piece of wall. His shoulders heaved in a broken breathing rhythm and his left arm hung limply at his side, dripping blood.

Without a word, Squall cast Recover on him. Seifer barely reacted, simply raising his head to see who had done it. There was blood smeared all over his bloodless features from a cut across his forehead that was closing even as he watched.

"Thanks," he said, voice hoarse. He straightened, pushing off from the piece he'd been leaning on, and tested his arm. An angry scowl crossed his features when it wouldn't be moved perfectly without damage, but he didn't comment. It was still better than losing his arm and bleeding to death.

"Help me with the others," Squall said, gesturing towards Zell. Worry gnawed at him when he saw that the martial artist still hadn't moved. His chest was buried by scrap metal, his pale face expressionless as it rested to the side. Squall would have run if he hadn't been forced to be careful of the mess that was the floor.

"Chicken-wuss doesn't look good," Seifer said as he followed, and though he used the familiar insult, his voice was empty of mockery.

"Grab that other piece," Squall ordered, purposefully forgetting how that would strain Seifer's arm. The pieces were tangled together in such a way that they had to lift together to free Zell, and Seifer was the only one awake and in condition to help right now. From the small rivulets of blood snaking away from Zell's body, Squall thought that he couldn't afford any delay.

Seifer didn't seem to bother with his arm either, as he moved to grab said section and hefted it up. From the hiss he let out and the involuntary grimace that contorted his features, it might have been a little too after all. Squall hurried to move his own piece, throwing it aside.

He winced when he saw Zell's chest. It was covered in deep cuts, and from the mess that was his right shoulder, some metal part and gone right through it as well. The martial artist coughed suddenly, and blood bubbled up and stained his lips crimson.

"Shit, that's not pretty. He's going to need a resurrection-level spell; even your Recover won't mend this," Seifer commented. His voice was serious, and he sounded as worried about Zell as Squall felt, no matter how much the two bickered. Squall was grateful for it, because if the rest of the party were in a similar state, it would take a lot of energy to make sure none crossed death's door. Recover might be very powerful and useful, but it was also one hell of a draining ability.

Squall uttered the words for the Full-Life spell. He waited, expecting to see the powerful magic surrounding Zell and close his injuries. When nothing happened after longer than the usual delay, he allowed himself a frown.

"Hey, Leonhart? Now would be a good time," Seifer prompted with an empty shadow of his usual smirk.

Squall shook his head and tried again. The results were the same: nothing.

"I just did. Twice." Cursing under his breath, Squall pressed his hands to Zell's shoulder wound to try and slow the worse of the blood flow. "My magic won't work," he added uselessly, frustration and a touch of hysteria growing in his voice. He'd checked on his way, and almost all of his items were destroyed, save for a few potions and status recovery items. He didn't have a single Phoenix Down left.

"What? Are you sure you haven't hit your head?" Seifer knelt closer and raised one hand over Zell, trying out a simpler Life spell of his own. The blond man cursed abundantly when it proved no more conclusive. "The hell..? Your Recovery ability worked, didn't it?"

Squall nodded briskly. He could feel the blood through his gloves, hot and alive and taking that energy away from Zell. They had to find a solution somehow, or they would lose him.

"I haven't got any resurrection items left, either. Who's got Alexander junctioned?" Seifer asked, pushing on his knees to stand.

Squall frowned, trying to remember. His brain was scattered, only able to see Zell's injuries and the blood and the metal and the failed magic and the ache in his body and heart and Zell dying, _dying. _

"Hey, Squall! Help me here, who said would junction Alexander?" Seifer insisted and his tone was urgent and clearly stating that if he didn't react, Squall would earn himself a good punch.

"…Quistis. Quistis has him," he finally answered, remembering when they'd talked briefly of who would junction who in the ship. They'd separated the GFs in case of an emergency, obeying to protocol more than necessity as none believed the guardians would have to be called for. They were lucky to have taken the precaution nonetheless.

"Let's hope that our little instructor isn't dead," Seifer said as he turned and headed for Quistis, and Squall couldn't find the will to be annoyed at the misplaced humor.

He waited, his heart beating painfully against his chest. He recalled the Desert Prison, when he'd heard the shots and Zell's surprised shout. He remembered how he'd imaged them piercing his body, spraying blood, and he'd seen red. He'd bolted then, ignoring the others or his own safety. Zell had turned out to be safe, but Squall had truly believed that he might be dead at that time.

It was similar this time, but even worse. Zell _was _injured, and mortally so. With magic ineffective and the lack of proper items, their only chance was that Quistis was in a good enough state that she would be able to use Revive on him. If it even worked.

"Good news, she's only knocked her head. No other serious injuries. One Recover should bring her around," Seifer called from where he'd knelt down to examine Quistis. Without further ado, he gathered her up in his arms and carried her back to Squall, as he knew that the Commander would not budge from his spot so long as Zell hadn't been healed. His face was a deadly white when he set her down and he held his arm stiffly, but he said nothing, even though it was obvious from the fresh blood that it needed further care.

"Come on, one Recover. You can hand Leviathan over for a bit if you're too weak," Seifer challenged and forced derision in his voice. He knew well how to draw Squall out, and the Commander turned his head with an angry scowl even as he used the ability on Quistis. Thankfully it worked, and soon enough her eyelids fluttered open.

"Quistis, are you alright?" Squall asked when the woman sat up, clutching the side of her head with a groan.

"I've been better, but I'll be fine," she answered, giving a slight shake of the head as if to chase off a fly, focusing on Squall. That lead her to Zell, and she cried out at the sight of his injuries. "Zell! Why haven't you healed him yet?" she admonished, turning on Squall angrily.

"Because magic doesn't work, instructor," Seifer replied with sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Squall's Recover works though, so we were hoping Revive would as well."

"Magic doesn't work? Why..?"

"Quistis, please. We don't know either, and we'll wonder about it later," Squall intervened, deeply hating how pleading his voice sounded.

Quistis blushed slightly and muttered a quick apology before coming closer to Zell. "Remove your hands, Squall. We don't want the spell to spread its power," she ordered in a tone that resembled Kadowaki's, and Squall did so only because he knew it was needed. Still, as he saw fresh blood spurting forth unrestrained, he was tempted to place them back.

The Revive ability worked just as well as Recover had, and Squall watched with infinite relief as Zell's injuries slowly closed. They were far from perfectly healed, but there was no more blood loss, no more danger to his life. Squall exhaled a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"There. We were lucky, a little more and he would have been beyond possible help," Quistis commented, sitting back with a weary sigh. Revive was even more exhausting than Recover, as it healed to the same level even more serious injuries.

"Thank you," Squall said gratefully, and felt foolish. She'd been doing it as much for herself, - Zell was her friend and comrade as well - as for the martial artist himself. He had no cause thank her as if she'd been doing him a favor.

"Excuse me for interrupting this heart warming conversation, but there are others who might need the same care," Seifer said snidely. Squall didn't miss the irony that it was him who thought of the rest of the party first.

"Where's Irvine?" he asked suddenly. He'd seen them all, but not the cowboy. He was the only one missing, and it worried him, as he thought that they'd all been in the same room during the crash.

First they checked on Selphie, who needed a Recover as well. Her forearms were badly burnt, and as Squall helped carry her beside Zell, he hoped they'd been quick enough that she wouldn't keep any scars. Quistis stayed with them both while Seifer and he scavenged through the wreck in search of Irvine.

They found him under another body. A body in a coat that had once been white, but that was now a bloody red mess. The scientist was dead, just like the one that had been near Selphie. But this time he was an unidentifiable lump of human flesh. Squall felt bile rise in his throat despite himself, and even more so when he thought that he had to clear it up to free Irvine.

"Poor bastard. That's what happens when you don't have GF junctions protecting your guts; they end up smeared all over the place," Seifer said with a disgusted grimace as he nudged the corpse with his boot.

"Be serious," Squall retorted, but he was no less eager to move the body. Still, Irvine was under that, and it was bound to be worse for him, so Squall scowled to stop himself from making a face and knelt down to push it aside. Seifer helped him, more or less, using only his feet, but Squall didn't say anything. It was better than if he'd used only one arm; he was aware of how the other's injury was by now. His own leg was throbbing painfully, protesting loud and clear against the work Squall put it under, but he resolutely ignored it. There were more important matters claiming his attention.

"Good luck making out which blood is whose," Seifer said once they'd cleared the body and its pieces off Irvine. His coat was almost as bloody as the scientist's had been, but the only problem was that, indeed, he couldn't say if it was from injuries or just the body. Or both.

"Help me turn him over." Squall cast a Recover, just for precautions, and the shimmering magic was still in the air when Seifer and he turned Irvine on his back, finding a spot on the floor where there weren't any dangerously sharp pieces of metal.

"It looks like he didn't have any serious injuries," Seifer observed. Although he was trying to hide it, his voice was strained and tired.

Squall was aware that he was in no better condition. All those Recovers had sapped most of his flagging strength, and though he could always use another one on himself to boost it back up, it would still be artificial energy that would only make him feel thrice as tired once it faded. He stood back up slowly, stretching his leg before him to ease the tension pulling at his fresh scar. Irvine was already stirring back to consciousness.

"Ow," was his first word. He straightened with a grimace for his aching limbs. "I guess I'm still alive," he added, looking up at Squall and Seifer with a humorless smile.

"Welcome to hell, Kinneas," Seifer joked right back.

"I'd imagined worse," the sniper retorted, and some amusement was now tingeing his voice. To Squall's enormous surprise, those two had grown to some form of friendship during their stay in space, always playing words against each other, though Irvine never went so far in sarcasm or insults as Seifer.

"…Are those some gory remains I see on my coat?" Irvine suddenly asked, having first spotted the excessive blood on his garments, then the mess of a scientist's corpse, and finally what else had stuck to the material. All traces of joviality he might have recovered disappeared to leave their place to profound disgust.

"The guy was lying all over you, Kinneas. I bet there's more than just on your coat," Seifer teased, and Irvine made a face, actually whitening, before quickly shrugging off his coat. He tossed it on the corpse and looked like he wanted to do the same with the rest of his clothing.

"I don't want to know. Where's my hat?" Perhaps looking for a diversion that might make him forget what he could find when next he put his hands in his pockets, the sniper started foraging in the surrounding rubbles in search of his favored hat. It was found nearby, a little rumpled and torn, but otherwise intact. Irvine put in on low over his eyes.

"Are the others ok?" he asked worriedly, and Squall knew who was foremost in his mind.

"They're all fine. Tired, with tender scars, but alive," he answered, gesturing behind him at the general position of Quistis and the others.

"The scientists?"

"Two dead. We're going to look for the last two," Squall answered.

"Don't count too much on finding them alive, if this one was any indication," Seifer added.

Irvine shrugged with a slight shake of the head. "It can't be helped, but we can at least make sure." Reaching back for his hair, an almost nervous gesture of his, he stopped when he saw the blood covering his hands, then shrugged again and resumed his movement. Considering how much of the liquid he had caked in his hair, it wouldn't do much of a difference at this point.

And make sure they did. The remaining two were together, not so far away, and both quite dead. As Squall stared at the corpses, he felt a cold pit form in his stomach, spreading in his body like poison. Without GF junctions, no matter their individual strength, they wouldn't have survived. Yet those same entities were constantly taking memories from them. Would that be their doom, their punishment for surviving through so much? Would they become dependant of those strange creatures until they ate their whole memories, leaving them as empty shells? It was a depressing thought.

"Squall, they're waking up!" Quistis called, breaking through his gloomy musings. Squall shook his head slightly, forcing himself to stop thinking about the GFs. They'd already accepted that consequence, and he didn't see why he would regurgitate the same old arguments again.

He just hadn't thought that he'd depend so much on them for so long. He just had to adapt, that was all.

"Yo, Squall. Looking good," Zell said when he saw him coming back, sketching a shaky smile in greeting. His voice was hoarse and his face white, but he seemed to have recovered enough energy to move about with some help. At least he was sitting up by himself, refusing any support from Quistis.

"Can't say the same for you, chicken-wuss," Seifer sneered. Squall shot him a surprised glance when he thought he heard relief and lingering worry in the blond man's voice. If anything like attachment had grown between those two, he'd missed it completely.

"Bastard, you're in no position to gloat," Zell retorted, gesturing to Seifer's arm.

"Stop worrying about me, I don't take it from weak people."

"Aw, guys, cut it out, you're noisy." Selphie successfully cut both of their tirades as she sat up with Irvine's help, moaning openly as she looked at her arms. "Ouch."

"You alright, Selphie?" Irvine asked softly. The answer was rather obvious, but it needed to be asked nonetheless.

"I'll be fine!" she answered immediately, voice as cheerful as it could get. There wasn't much that could bring that girl down.

"This is all nice, but I think we have a problem," Quistis said, and the mood fell again as everyone was reminded of their current position.

Squall sighed deeply. They were stranded. Period. The ship was wrecked; there was no going back in space, no going back to their own planet. Holding back the mounting panic from showing on his face, he kept a neutral expression for the others' sake. He'd assumed the leader position, and he couldn't show them what he really thought of the situation. They probably knew, but they could do without a confirmation.

"We need to get out of here first," he finally declared, to which most nodded. No point staying in a wreck where each footstep could cause serious injuries.

"But what about the scientists?" Selphie asked, and Squall suddenly felt very tired. Dead. They were dead. He'd failed his mission, a mission that was supposed to have been so simple, yet had turned for the very, very worse.

Laguna wouldn't know. He'd never know, would only suspect him dead. Rinoa would never really give up until she saw his corpse, which she'd never see.

He would never see her again.

"Dead. They're not our responsibility anymore; we have to think of our survival first," Irvine answered for him.

"Oh. Well, that's sad. Let's go, then! This place gives me the creeps," she declared, scrambling up. It was a show of her mercenary nature that she didn't suggest wasting what little strength they had left on burying the corpses.

Squall was happy to follow her lead. He moved to help Zell stand up, but Quistis beat him to it, giving a 'don't you even think about it' glare. So long as his leg didn't mend more solidly, she would not let him strain it more than he strictly needed to.

Slowly, carefully, they made their way through the Ragnarok, searching for an opening big enough for them to pass through safely. When they did, it was to see that the damage on the ship was even worse than could be seen from inside. It had dug a deep trench when it had crashed landed, losing bits and pieces along the way. Squall carefully picked his way out of the main bulk, the others close behind him. He could hear Selphie mourning the loss of her precious ship.

"Do you think those civilizations are some alien race?" Zell asked from behind.

Indeed, just a day ago, the scientists had managed to use a basic satellite to catch images of the blue planet's landscape. Those had revealed cities, big and small, of some sort of life form.

The scientists had been so thrilled to bring that news back.

"It would be awesome! I hope it's PuPu's people!" Selphie agreed wholeheartedly. Quistis snorted from under Zell's arm around her shoulders.

"Don't be ridiculous," she admonished gently.

"Let's just hope they're friendly," Irvine put in, and Squall had to agree with him. Whatever they were, he didn't give many chances to the group if they proved hostile.

They took a short break once they'd walked a respectable distance from the wreck and where there was less shrapnel strewn over the ground, both to catch their breath and to see exactly where they were.

The ground around them was dusty and kicked up dust with ever step, the grass a dry scraggly thing. There was a lush forest to their right despite the obvious lack of abundant water, and Squall thought it almost a miracle that they hadn't hit a single tree. All around were flat plateaus and stocky mountains. There wasn't a single sign of any form of city.

"It looks rather wild. I doubt there's a town nearby," Quistis commented, voicing Squall's thoughts.

"It's better that way, especially if whatever lives here decides to attack us," Irvine replied. "It'll give us more chances to hide."

"With no magic, serious injuries and an unknown territory occupied by unknown races, I doubt that it'll help," Seifer countered.

"It's better than nothing!" Zell would have continued, but he suddenly realized exactly what Seifer had said. "Wait…no magic?"

"That's right, chicken-wuss, magic doesn't work," Seifer confirmed.

Selphie and Irvine, who hadn't known about that either, exclaimed their own surprise and consternation. Selphie actually tested it, casting a simple Blizzard at a tree, and gaped when nothing happened.

"That's no fair!" she whined.

"GF abilities still seem to work, though," Squall corrected, and he felt like telling her that life was never fair. If it was, they wouldn't have crashed here, with the four people he'd been supposed to protect dead and their ship completely destroyed.

"I don't think that's anything we can…what is _that_?" Quistis stopped mid sentence to point at the pink…something flying their way.

Squall gestured for them not to move and let his hand hover over the hilt of the Lionheart, thanking every deity he knew that the blade was virtually indestructible and that it hadn't skewered him in the crash. It had survived Ultimecia, it wouldn't have been right for it to break for so little after that.

"You're alive! That's amazing, kupo!"

The group exchanged glances at the chirpy, high-pitched tones. It sounded anything but menacing, and somewhat stupid. It looked stupid.

"It's a miracle!" it insisted, coming to a stop near them. Squall stared down at the small animal-like creature, all soft and pink and bouncy and with a bobbing ball hanging from its head. As strange as it was, he couldn't shake the sense of familiarity as he tried to understand exactly what it was, and if it might have evil intentions.

"What _are_ you?" Selphie asked first, peering at it with unhidden wonder.

The thing jumped, making offended flailing gestures. "How rude, kupo! I'm a moogle of course! Did you hit your head when you fell from the sky?"

"A moogle? Why does that sound familiar?" Quistis mused, and that really got Squall wondering, because they seemed to be the only two to feel any familiarity about the moogle. Deciding to ponder on that later, he concentrated on the situation at hand.

"Where are we?" he asked. The moogle really didn't appear hostile, but it could be a ruse. Squall kept a hand on his weapon's hilt.

"The forest around the Black Mage village, kupo!" it answered cheerfully. "They all saw the crash, so Vivi is going to be here soon with others to check! They'll be happy to see you alive, though you don't look so good…"

Vivi? Black Mage? Questions fought for attention, and Squall had trouble deciding on which should be asked first.

"Who's Vivi?" he finally demanded, deciding that from the way the talkative moogle said the name, he or she must be someone important, maybe a leader. And if they were happy to see them alive…they might have some hope, though experience had him stay on guard.

"That's me."

All heads turned to the new speaker. And everyone stared.

Well. It might not be PuPu's people, but Squall doubted that they were any less interesting.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 4_**  
**Rating: **PG  
**Warnings: **None. Yaoi in future chapters.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **And the crossover interaction has finally really started! Let's rejoice...

Saying that he wasn't happy was an understatement.

Indeed, Vivi was very unhappy.

Not that he was angry or annoyed, but rather he did not like the situation unfolding before him. Not when he had six people that had just fallen from the sky, injured but alive and all armed in some strange way. They didn't look exactly hostile, but neither did they appear innocent and friendly.

"I'm Vivi," he repeated, and considered the strangers with unabashed curiosity. Most of them were tall, maybe as tall as Amarant, and that blond one with the bleeding arm, he was probably even taller, reaching even Burmecian height records. They seemed young, dressed funny, talked with a funny accent, and had all pretty much descended from the sky in that alien wrecked ship behind them.

Useless to say, that made for a lot of 'strange' in too little components.

The brown haired one at the front, the one who acted like a leader and held that blue sword warily at his side, marked a pause before answering, as if he was considering giving information to an enemy.

"Squall Leonhart."

The situation stalled then, and Vivi found himself wondering what he should say or do next. He thought about mentioning all of their injuries, as some really worried him, but that also lead him to a more important factor that could easily determine if that was his top priority or not: their intentions. First he needed to know if the way they all held their weapons was for attack or defense.

"Please, there's no need for weapons, we won't harm you," he said, and watched Squall carefully for his reaction.

"Are you serious? For all we know you could be lying." Vivi turned surprised eyes on the tallest one, the blond man that had spoken up with so much aggression in his voice.

"We want to help, but we don't know if you're going to attack us either," he countered, and heard the derisive snort from the blond man. That one was holding his strange blade in no subtle way.

"You want to help?" This time it was Squall who spoke, and although his voice was level, he sounded surprised at such a notion.

"If you don't mean us harm in return," Mister 72 said evenly, weighing down every word. Vivi was glad Mister 110 and he had come with him. Not only did he ignore the strangers' true battle abilities, but he was also glad for the simple support the black mages offered against these people.

Squall watched him for a moment, and Vivi returned the stare with a touch of uneasiness. That one had something in his eyes, a shadow that shouldn't be in one so young.

"Everyone, do as he says," he finally ordered, and though the blond man made a smart remark about the value of that order, he obeyed just like everyone else and buckled his sword, though his good hand stayed near the hilt. Although Squall was obviously the leader, Vivi found himself more wary of that blond one. He looked wild.

"It would be better for your injuries to be treated in the village. You should come with us." This time it was Mister 110 who spoke. Squall looked at him with those same guarded eyes.

"How far?"

"Two hours, if we stop once to rest," Mister 110 answered.

Vivi looked at the state of Squall's party and thought that they'd never make it in two hours. Not with the monsters and their injuries and the lack of any real path in the forest. That would kill them rather than save them.

Squall must have been thinking something along the same line, as he turned back towards his party, silently asking for their opinion. The other blond boy, the one with the tattoo, straightened in defiance at that gaze.

"Don't think I'm going to slow you down. I can walk those two hours!" he boldly stated, though it was obvious that he wouldn't be able to do such a thing.

"Zell…It's ok. My leg won't support me two hours, and we're all too tired to be walking so long," Squall said, carefully avoiding putting any blame on anyone in particular, save for himself.

"What do we do, then?" This time it was one of the two women who spoke, the longhaired one supporting that injured boy, Zell.

"Hum, excuse me," Vivi interrupted gently, drawing all eyes towards him. It was all well and good that they made plans, but he wanted to remind them of their current position. "We could set camp for the night just at the edge of the forest, near the wreck. Monsters won't dare come near the crash site so soon, and we'll be able to help with your wounds," he suggested.

Squall nodded, obviously thinking over that possibility. Once again he turned to the others to see if they agreed.

Zell simply shrugged. "It's as good a plan as any."

"I agree. We need rest and help more than anything," the longhaired woman added.

"Take the little guy's offer Squall, I'm sleepy!" This time from the other woman, younger looking and sounding.

"You heard her." The last man, the only one that hadn't spoken yet, with blood all over him and with the funny hat.

Squall turned to the tall blond man, waiting for his answer. Vivi was surprised that he hadn't spoken up yet; he seemed the loud, imposing type.

"What about you, Seifer?" Squall urged.

"Why do you care what I think, you'll do whatever you want anyways," he snapped, but he sounded amused more than annoyed. "But hey, if we can get free food, I'm in." Vivi wasn't surprised to hear him talk with such bitter sarcasm and humor all mixed up at the same time.

"I believe that means you agree," Mister 72 said with a nod, receiving similar agreeing gestures and comments from the other party.

"Mister 110, would you please go back to the village and bring some extra help?" Vivi asked, and the black mage nodded.

"Of course." Mister 110 glanced over the strangers, mentally listing everything that would be needed, and the little extras, before turning and disappearing into the forest.

Vivi noticed then the look on every stranger's face. They really hadn't changed all that much, but he'd been part of a group of fighters long enough to immediately sense the tension that had settled in the air. Just a tightening of the eyes, or a certain set of shoulders, and he understood that he'd stepped wrong somewhere.

It took him a few moments before he managed to pinpoint the possible reason for them to be more defensive. When he spoke next, he tried to sound careless. "We don't have enough items for everyone, and no Tents for camp. Mister 110 alone won't be able to bring enough food and bandages and clothing for all of you, so he's probably going to bring one or two more with him," Vivi explained.

Really, they'd have to accept the fact that more black mages and probably some genomes would arrive. Besides, what difference would it make? Going to the village wouldn't have been any better.

"…So that guy really is named '110'?" the blond man asked, as if he didn't care about what Vivi had just said. The tension seeped out of the air slowly as they understood and accepted the logic behind of words.

"Is something wrong with Mister 110's name? I am Mister 72," the other black mage introduced himself politely, puzzled by the reaction.

"Maybe because they're numbers?" the blond man sneered, raising an eyebrow and looking annoyingly condescending.

"Seifer, please," Squall interrupted, and he didn't give Seifer a chance to say anything more. "We'd better head to that camp now," he suggested. Vivi nodded, understanding that it might not be a good idea to leave them all standing there longer than necessary.

The site he chose wasn't very far, as he preferred staying close to the wreck. It would scare monsters away for a little while, hopefully long enough for Mister 110 to return with those Tents. Not that Mister 72 and he couldn't take care of the local monster life, but he preferred avoiding any commotion.

He stopped soon enough, standing at the edge of the forest with the ship only a short distance away, close enough that he could still smell the burning in the air. Vivi quickly gathered a few dead branches and placed them in a triangular pile before casting a simple Fire to get it started.

He hadn't been expecting the strangers' reactions to that, either.

"Hey! He can use magic!" the childish-looking girl cried out, pointing at him openly. All eyes were on him.

"Hum…yes?" Vivi said, at a complete loss. Magic was nothing special, especially not considering his nature, but then again, these people came from the sky, so he had better get used to the strangest things from them. He supposed it also worked the other way around.

"How?" The bloodied man asked incredulously.

Vive shook his head. "I'm a black mage," he supplied, and remembered that while that answer would normally be enough, the strangers might need more. "Black mages can all use magic," he added.

They'd gradually come to sit around the fire, cautious as always but too tired to refuse the warmth and relative security it offered.

"I see…" Squall said, glancing around at his comrades, and Vivi noticed how all who'd opened their mouth to add something thought better of it and kept silent.

"Mister Vivi, I've noticed some monsters coming closer to the edge of the forest," Mister 72 suddenly came and announced, another load of wood in his arms. "I am going to go dispose of them." True to his word, Mister 72 carefully pilled the wood a safe distance away from stray sparks and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

"Is he going to be alright?" the long-haired woman asked with only a polite touch of concern in her voice.

"Oh yes. The monsters around here aren't a challenge to the black mages," Vivi assured just as politely. She seemed nice enough, if a little cold. "If you don't mind me asking for your names?" He thought that now was as good a time as any to ask who they were. He'd gleaned names here and there, but he'd missed a few.

"Zell Dincht," the tattooed boy answered. "You have big monsters problems around here?" he asked in turn.

"Not really. At least it's better than it used to be," Vivi answered, purposefully avoiding to mention the Mist and Kuja and everything that it encompassed. He doubted that it would do any harm to tell them, but he preferred to wait and know them better before volunteering anything.

Scuffles were heard from Mister 72's direction, along with a blue flash of magic that suggested an ice spell. Its unusual brightness made Vivi realize that it was growing dark quickly. He hoped Mister 110 would be coming back soon; the monsters would start getting insistent.

"I have a few healing items," he started hesitantly. He didn't know if the strangers would trust him enough so soon. "I could hand them out..?"

"I won't be saying no to that," the tall man, Seifer, Vivi recalled, said. He was holding his arm stiffly against his chest. Vivi hurried to his side, uneasy around that giant of a man, and handed him a vial.

"I'm Seifer Almasy, by the way." Seifer took the vial and raised it to eye level, peering at it as if to determine if it might be poison instead. He sniffed it once, then shrugged and downed it in one swallow. "That's the real stuff alright," he commented as it worked on his arm, closing the wound to a very tender scar.

Vivi hurried to Zell's side next, not taking the time to think of the implications brought by Seifer knowing what a potion was; that could wait, Zell needed care. To him he gave one of his few High Potions, and watched with relief as it brought some color back to his cheeks, even though it didn't appear to do much about his current scars.

"Thanks a lot," Zell said gratefully with a toothy smile. "I needed that."

"How did you even heal these before we found you?" Vivi asked curiously. It had just occurred to him that such serious injuries didn't heal in a matter of minutes by themselves. They must have similar healing items, and it would explain how they all appeared familiar with his own.

"We had some items that survived the crash," Squall answered, confirming his thoughts. Vivi saw him take out a vial –probably their version of a potion, though it was different from his- and drink it.

"You were lucky." And that they were, if it worked the same way for them. You couldn't just drink potion after potion like water, because then you'd either overdose and die of poisoning, or the fast healing would be _too_ fast even for the extra energy the liquid provided, and that meant pushing the body into a coma, at best. So if your item wasn't strong enough to keep you living until it was safe to have another one, you died.

Vivi had moved to the long-haired woman, who introduced herself as Quistis Trepe, but she refused to take the potion he offered.

"I only need some rest. Besides, I have one or two left myself," she said, and Vivi didn't push. He was limited in his supplies as well, so it was better that way.

Selphie Tilmitt accepted hers with energetic thanks, and the bloodied man, Irvine Kinneas, refused his like Quistis and Squall had, on account that he didn't need it and had some left.

"But I could do with a change of clothes," he only half-joked, wrinkling his nose at his _very_ bloody garments.

"Mister 110 will probably bring some as well," Mister 72 answered, coming out of the forest, with no trace on him of the battle that had just taken place. "It should not be long now," he added.

The night had almost completely fallen, and Vivi was alert to any suspicious sound. He noted that the strangers were as well and was glad for it. They looked like they could use their weapons, along with possessing the relaxed, defensive stance of seasoned warriors. That was both a relief and worrisome, considering the current situation.

Understandably enough, they all looked like fishes stuck caught out of water when Mister 110 came back with Mister 277 and two genomes.

"Why can't anyone be normal on this planet?" Seifer asked without releasing his weapon's hilt, looking at the genomes –especially their tail- with complete surprise and disbelief.

The four newcomers stepped into the ring of light and put down the packs they'd brought. Mister 110 immediately started setting up the Tents with Mister 277's help.

"How can you define normal?" The genome boy asked in a mysterious voice. Vivi tried remembering his name but only drew a blank. He didn't know them all as much as he'd like.

Seifer looked surprised as much by the question as by the tone used. "I didn't mean to get philosophical over that," he said. He accepted the food the genome handed out gladly. "What are you anyways? So far we've had black mages and moogles, it can't be worse."

"They are genomes," Mister 72 answered. "This one is Ichiro, and that girl is Midori," he continued, gesturing to the silver-haired genome and his female counterpart.

"A pleasure to meet you," Midori greeted politely, with less of a mysterious air about her than Ichiro, fishing out large robes from her pack. Irvine zeroed in on those immediately.

Eventually the food was distributed, along with some spare clothing for those who needed it, and the four large Tents worked their magic and repelled any curious monster. They didn't talk about much as bandages were made and tender scars cleaned, and Vivi didn't mind. There were a few questions about where they came from, some details about black mages and genomes, but nothing really important. Nobody had enough energy left for that; it could wait until they got back to the village.

At one point, the subject of white magic was brought up and Vivi revealed, somewhat reluctantly, that black mages couldn't use any. Ichiro, who possessed basic abilities with magic, volunteered to cast Cure on the injured for the night.

"Excuse me, Vivi?" Squall looked up at Vivi, who'd come to see Ichiro work on his leg wound, and the black mage could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

"Yes?" It sounded like an awkward question.

"Could you leave us alone for the rest of the night? There's some things we have to talk about," Squall finally demanded. He did sound awkward asking it.

"Of course! I mean, we'll stay out of hearing range," Vivi quickly answered.

_But not out of sight_. It was obvious enough that he didn't need to say it.

"Thank you."

Ichiro finished his spell, taking longer than a more experienced mage would. Vivi wished Dagger or Eiko were here; they'd have whiped them all up in shape quickly and known exactly how to deal with it all. He wished Zidane were here; he felt like he was walking on thin glass that one wrong step would shatter.

With a sigh he joined the black mages and genomes, knowing that the days ahead would be long and tiring.

---

"What do you think of all this?" Squall asked once he was back with his party. They had gathered together between two Tents, keeping their voices low despite the distance between them and Vivi.

"I can't even think," Irvine said wearily. The clothes looked strange on him, as if some warrior of old had skipped a few generations. "This is just too weird, on every level."

"They can use magic," Quistis stated rather obviously. "Only black mages and a few genomes, from what I understood. And they separate destructive and healing magic," she continued, sounding more like she was audibly organizing her thoughts rather than talking for their benefit.

"What freaks me out the most is the stuff we have in common," Zell muttered, scratching at the back of his head. "I mean, we even speak the same language! What are the odds of that when we don't even come from the same planet?"

Squall agreed with him. It was one of the things that had surprised him as well. Their items and magic had the same names, they spoke the same language…most of the technical language was all the same.

"That Vivi, he's hiding stuff," Seifer spoke up. "He acts nice enough, but from the way the others step around him, I bet he's the strongest of the bunch."

"Probably. But right now, we don't have much of a choice. If they'd wanted to kill us, they'd have done so earlier. I think we can trust them enough to accept their help until we're perfectly healed," Squall countered.

"And it might be better that they don't know we could use magic but can't anymore," Quistis added, still thinking about that particular aspect of this planet.

Squall nodded. He was glad that they'd all caught on when he'd silently asked them to keep quiet earlier, when Vivi had briefly explained about black mages being the only ones who could use magic. It was too early for Vivi and his group to know, if ever.

"I feel kinda bad. I mean, he's giving us all these items without thinking twice," Zell muttered, glancing up at the clear sky with a deep, tired sigh. He had deep shadows under his eyes.

"It's better than using what little we have left. We don't know when we'll be able to restock, or if we'll have to run before it happens," Seifer said, shaking his head.

"Quistis, Irvine, don't use any more of your items either. Keep them for emergencies, right now we'll continue accepting Vivi's help if he offers it." Squall quickly checked his supplies, mentally wincing at their meagerness.

Zell shrugged, having not enough energy to object more powerfully. "I still think it kinda sucks lying to him like that. They've all been pretty damn nice."

"Life isn't easy, chicken-wuss," Seifer retorted, but even he lacked the energy to sound as sarcastic as usual.

"Do you think we'll ever get back?" Selphie asked then, stopping any argument the two blond men might have decided to have. Heavy silence fell over their somber features.

"No. The ship is destroyed, and they didn't even know how it could possibly go into space. Face it, this is our new planet," Squall declared bitterly.

There was no going back. They were stuck here, so they had better learn to like it. They had better forget those they'd left behind.

Squall tried not to think of Rinoa. It made him want to go out there and beat the hell out of whatever monster they said lurked around these parts until he dropped of exhaustion.

"Shit…!" Zell cursed, punching the ground angrily. He must have put real force behind the blow, because he'd left a sizeable enough hole in the ground.

"For once I agree with you," Seifer muttered angrily.

"Come on, everyone! Cheer up, this can't be so bad," Selphie said, but her voice betrayed her true feelings on the matter. She gladly huddled against Irvine's side when he nudged her closer.

"Let's just rest. We're too tired to make sense of anything tonight, much less Vivi and his monkey-tailed friends and their rhetorical questions and magic. It's way out of our league for now," Irvine declared, right on the whole line.

"Yeah. Don't mind if I do," Zell declared, standing up slowly before heading for a Tent. Irvine followed him, and Selphie headed for the Tent reserved for the women. It was a

show of Seifer's exhaustion that he didn't say a word as he followed Zell, simply glad to go sleep.

Quistis stood up with a yawn, though she didn't head straight for the Tent, instead peering over at Squall.

"Say, about that moogle… Could you please show me your cards?" she asked, her eyes darting from him to the moogle currently chatting with Vivi and back again.

Squall handed it to her, puzzled for a moment before he caught on. His mind felt as if it was made of syrup, making thinking difficult.

"I was wondering why it felt familiar," Squall said even as Quistis took out a card from the deck and held it out. He looked at the picture and knew he was supposed to be surprised, confused, anything, but right now exhaustion was all his brain could process.

"The familiarities are overwhelming. I'm worried, Squall."

Squall shrugged. What could he say? Quistis seemed to understand, as she handed the deck back without a word before disappearing in a Tent.

The Mini Mog card smirked at him from the top of the deck, taunting him with its annoying moogle-like face.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 5_**  
**Rating:**PG, ratings will go up in other chapters  
**Warnings: **None. Yaoi in future chapters.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9

Quistis found Vivi in a small dale at the back of the village, where a low hill broke the tree line. He was standing before what looked like tombstones fashioned in the form of crosses with poles and wooden panels, with weathered hats and scarves wrapped around them. Although she'd only been in the Black Mage Village for a day, and that having been spent resting and trying to assimilate the implications of the crash, she was fairly sure that she had found a graveyard.

She stopped short when she came to that conclusion and turned, intending to leave Vivi in peace, but the small mage looked up at her and nodded.

"I thought you'd be sleeping, Madam Quistis," he said softly, and she detected a smile in his voice. Taking it as an invitation to join him, she walked up to his side and peered at the strange tombstones. Numbers were carved into them –the Black Mages' names-, along with some poems.

"Just call me Quistis. I've slept all day, and I'm not nearly as injured as the others. I was restless," she said. Vivi nodded again, solemnly silent.

The Black Mage didn't speak again, and not wishing to disturb the silence, Quistis looked around at the tombstones dotting the landscape. They were surprisingly easy to see, considering night had fallen. Quistis looked up, saw the stars in the clear sky and the two bright moons, and etched a sad smile.

"I'm sorry…" Vivi muttered, breaking her out of her trance. Quistis looked down at him in surprise.

"What for?"

"For being stuck here. It must be hard for you," he answered. He was looking intently at her with those yellow orbs of his, peering out of the shadows of his hat.

"That's nothing you should apologize for. If anything, I'm sorry that we're causing you so much trouble." Still, Quistis was grateful for his sympathy. While he couldn't possibly understand the depth of that pain, of being uprooted from her homeland, she was glad that he did care.

"You're not causing any trouble!" Vive corrected with force. "It's just…hard to assimilate, I guess."

Quistis hummed noncommittally and sat on the ground. Vivi copied her, and silence reigned for a moment in the graveyard.

"Would you believe me if I said it's the same for us? We don't mean any harm, but everything we know has been turned upside down. We're completely, utterly lost," she finally said, shaking her head slightly.

Vivi had no idea exactly how much they were lost. This was a whole new planet. Everything was different, and that which wasn't was simply stranger.

"I'm sorry. We don't mean any harm either, but we can't help being on guard right now. I mean, you did fall from space," Vivi said, playing with the rim of his hat.

Quistis thought she detected something deeper in his words, and she turned to study him. For someone of whom you couldn't see the face, he was surprisingly expressive.

"Did something happen? About space?" It had sounded more serious than just bewilderment at discovering that ships could be made to fly in space.

"Yes and no." Vivi looked up at her then, staring intently, and Quistis felt uneasy under that scrutiny. While he usually sounded younger, he currently had a mature air that she'd noted on people like Edea, of fighters who'd grown through a hard-earned peace.

"We've had issues before with people from another planet," he started, as if he'd decided that she was trustworthy enough to be imparted with this information. "It's hard, especially for the Black Mages and genomes, to see you crash here like this."

"Another planet? You mean that others came here?" She didn't know why she suddenly felt hope. It was irrational and probably misplaced, but it was there nonetheless.

"Don't worry though, they'll warm up eventually. They're just unsettled," Vivi continued, as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"You don't trust us, do you?" Quistis challenged. She was a little annoyed at his avoiding her question, even though she could understand if it was something painful for them. He wasn't the one grasping after threads to try and stay sane.

Again he looked at her with that intensity that made her feel childish. It annoyed her, as she hadn't felt childish in a very, very long time. Quite the contrary, in fact.

"We do to the extent that we want to learn to trust you fully," Vivi answered. Quistis sullenly thought that he'd been around the genomes too long, to be using cryptic answers like that.

"I guess it's the same for us," she replied after a moment's thought. Of course they wouldn't trust them blindly. Her group didn't, so why should they? "But so long as no harm is intended from either party, it should be alright."

Vivi nodded and lapsed into silence for a few moments. When he spoke again, he sounded like his usual self.

"Do you mind speaking to me about where you come from? How you came here?" he asked, obviously uneasy at the possible awkwardness of the answer.

"I'll do my best. Squall is the leader, and I want to check with him before telling the whole story," she said, hoping that he wouldn't take any offence. They'd both admitted that they didn't blindly trust the other party, so why would he?

"That's ok. It's the same for me," Vivi answered with a nod.

Interesting. As Quistis tried to give him as truthful a retelling as she could without giving away any information susceptible to be branded classified, she turned over that last sentence of his. Vivi didn't hold any leading position in the village, but it had been clear that he still held great honorary authority. They'd thus assumed that he was the head honcho, in a way. Now she was thinking that there was another figure pulling the strings.

Well, whoever it was, it was worth investigating. If only to take their minds off their situation.

---

Squall woke up alone in the room. He shot upright in a momentary bout of panic, as in his sleep haze he could not recognize the place where he was, only to breath out a deep sigh when it all came back to him.

The four surrounding beds were empty, which had him guessing that it was late in the morning. Irvine was usually a late riser, so the fact that he was up before him could give him an inkling of how much he'd slept. Tossing the thin sheets aside, he checked his injury and was glad to see it was mostly healed, enough that he didn't have to worry about the smallest gesture breaking it open again.

Feeling rather awkward, Squall dressed in the clothes the residents had given him, his being too dirty and damaged to be of any use. They consisted of an odd combination of the usual Black Mages' garments, as no genome was tall enough to fit his frame. Fitting his belts and buckling the Lionheart, Squall had the impression of being some parade clown.

He was consoled when he found Seifer just a few steps outside in a similar situation.

"So the Ice Princess is finally awake," the blond man said when he spotted Squall, but his voice lacked conviction.

Silently, Squall joined the man, ignoring his barbed comment. He was used to that kind. Seifer was sitting on one of the many rickety bridges of the Village, watching the brook blankly with one arm wrapped loosely around the Hyperion.

"Do you regret coming with us, now?" Squall asked to break the silence, tone ironic, maybe as a form of vengeance for all the hard times Seifer had given him so far.

The blond man snorted, but the lack of usual reactions was blatant enough to alarm Squall.

"This planet or the other, it doesn't matter. At least here they don't think I'm going to turn into some rabid mass murderer," Seifer answered derisively.

Putting himself in Seifer's shoes, Squall could understand how the man would see this turn of event as an improvement. He'd said it himself, when they'd last met in Balamb: he was an outcast everywhere, and he wouldn't be able to live in FH without going crazy.

"Don't you regret coming? You won't be seeing Rinoa anytime soon," he asked, mirroring Squall's question. Seifer looked at him with such an expression that prevented him from actually sounding concerned.

"That's none of your business," Squall snapped faster than he'd intended. He winced inwardly at how that revealed how he so obviously felt. He'd managed not to think about it too much so far, with the events keeping his mind busy, but now that he was healed and safe in this peaceful environment, they'd caught up to him savagely.

Seifer laughed at his answer. Squall suddenly was more than annoyed, actually furious, and he might have hit the blond man if he hadn't forcefully reminded himself of how much of a fool he'd already been.

"What's so funny?" he hissed through clenched teeth. He failed to see the humour in the situation.

"You are so damn predictable, Squally-boy," Seifer answered with a shake of his head. "It never fails to amaze me."

"Whatever."

That answer only caused Seifer to laugh some more, as of course it proved his point to some extent. Squall turned his attention to the water, forcing himself to calm down and dismiss what Seifer had said. Frankly, he was tired of always arguing and fighting with the man.

The silence stretched, with Seifer obviously planning on being the most stubborn and forcing him to leave. In a childish bout of pride, Squall decided that he would not be chased off.

"How's your arm?" Squall asked, casting for whatever subject could justify his staying right there.

"Why do you care?" was the bland answer.

Sighing, Squall stretched his own leg carefully and grappled after patience.

"Listen, Seifer. We're going to be stuck here together for probably longer than we both like. Could we please try and make that less of a pain?" Squall asked resignedly. He never would have thought that he'd say that to Seifer, or ask him, even in a roundabout way, to be more polite, but it had to be done. He was tired to death of always having to fight against him every step of the way.

His words must have struck a deeper cord than he'd had expected, because Seifer's expression grew more serious than he'd anticipated. The man shrugged quickly as if to avoid answering.

"Can't make no promises," he replied cautiously before standing up.

Squall thought that it was better than nothing, and that it actually proved that he'd managed to get through to him even a little. He would've liked a more precise answer, but he would never expect it from Seifer. It was as good as he'd get.

"And don't worry about my arm, it's as powerful as ever."

Squall watched him as he walked down the small bridge and disappeared behind a wooden building. At least he'd answered the question, of course with a touch of mockery, but anything else from Seifer would be alarming. Squall took it as a first step for Seifer in trying to less of a perpetual ass.

Well, that was a relief.

---

The Black Mage Village, Irvine thought, was decidedly the best place for a guy to relax.

Lounging lazily in the grass with his hat shadowing his eyes, he was watching the treetops rustle and dance under the shifting clouds, letting his mind think lazily of nothing. It was surprisingly easy; everything here was peaceful, with the unpolluted nature and wooden houses and bridges being the only human marks. There was no electricity, no cars, no metal skyscrapers. Hell, it was even better than Windhill.

A chirpy kweh-ing sound reached his ears and he smiled to himself. Selphie hadn't left that chocobo since she'd first discovered the bird, but he'd grown tired of being in the cramped chocobo hut and had decided to go nap. Besides, he was happy for the alone time; now that the group was relatively safe, they didn't have to stick together so much. Everyone had gone off to do their own thing and think.

He'd done a little bit of that earlier, but he'd given up at some point. Scarce little made sense, and trying to force what didn't into being logical was just driving him crazy. Irvine slowly fingered the barrel of his Exeter gun. It wasn't that he thought he needed the protection. Quite the contrary, as he'd come to realize. Rather, he needed it as an anchor to his reality.

This Village was beautiful, there was no arguing about that. Even its inhabitants, in all their strangeness, were friendly and –he thought, at least- genuinely wanted to help them. The problem was, though, that at the same time, it roughly reminded him of the world they'd left behind.

The Exeter was cool in his hands. The metal was smooth, light and solid despite the monstrous shots it released. Irvine mentally counted the clips he had left, and tried not to think of what would happen when they would all be used up. He'd have to face reality then.

He was a man of technology. He was a sharpshooter, who dealt with death and gunpowder and bullets. It had been immediately clear to him that here, there were no such things as guns, or at least not as advanced as his own. There would be no restocking once he used all of his ammunition. The Exeter would become a useless carcass, a grim reminder of what had been lost.

Sighing deeply, Irvine forced himself to stop that line of thought, instead losing himself in a mental debate over whether that cloud looked more like a flower or a squid.

After all, the clouds here were the same as back home, so it couldn't be all that bad, could it?

He still hadn't decided about that cloud when he heard soft scuffles nearby. Pushing his hat up a fraction, he spotted Vivi walking a short distance away, looking around in that distinctive way of people who are searching from something. Irvine watched him for a few more moments before he gave in to his curiosity and called after the Black Mage.

"Looking for someone?" Irvine asked when Vivi was level with him. He sat up, raising his hat up so that he could actually see his eyes.

"Yes, in fact. Do you know where I could find Mister Squall?" the Black Mage asked, fumbling with the brim of his hat.

"Don't go using 'misters' and 'misses' with us, we're too young for that," Irvine chortled. "Is it anything important?"

Vivi nodded. "I guess it depends on the point of view, but yes," he answered, turning to look all around again.

"Care to share? I might be able to help," Irvine offered. Seeing Vivi hesitate, he shrugged dismissively. "It doesn't matter if you can't," he assured hastily, although it made him only that more curious about what it could possibly be, and a little wary.

"It's not that. I just thought it might be easier if I spoke to him first so he could tell all of you afterwards," Vivi explained. Irvine watched him for a moment, and although he knew Vivi wasn't lying, he was also fairly sure that it wasn't the whole of it.

"Well, you'll get to tell him. There he is," Irvine said, pointing to Squall who was walking by rather aimlessly. The sharpshooter called him over, glad that he'd just strolled by. He wouldn't have pried if Vivi didn't want to talk, but he still wanted to know what the hell this was all about.

"Is something wrong?" Squall asked when he was level with them. The question was more for the form than any real worry, considering Irvine's lounging attitude and light voice.

"Vivi just wanted to talk to you," the sharpshooter resumed.

Squall looked at Vivi inquisitively. Irvine could see how the Lionheart unnerved the Black Mage.

"It's just that I'm leaving soon for a place pretty far," Vivi started on a hesitant note, gaining assurance as he continued. "I was thinking that you could come with me."

Irvine immediately saw two things in these simple sentences: one, Vivi didn't trust them enough to let them out of his sight and two, he was either powerful enough or held sufficient authority –or both- to think they'd be only safe under his guard.

Squall nodded for him to elaborate, his face closed off in that typical way he used when he wasn't happy about what he was hearing.

"It's a kingdom called Alexandria, and it's much, much bigger than the Black Mage Village. The Village is very remote and it's a real challenge coming and going without an airship, so there isn't much going on around here. I thought that you might have better chances of finding something to help you in the large kingdoms of the main continent," Vivi explained, sounding far less uneasy than he had just a minute ago.

The excuse sounded pretty shaky to Irvine. He frowned and reached back to tug at his ponytail. "But why there, and why now, if it's so far?" he inquired, trying to question Vivi into a corner and find out the truth behind his offer.

"Because it's the wedding of very important friends," Vivi answered with pride. "And I think they'd like to meet you," he added.

Irvine pondered over that as Squall briefly questioned Vivi about the chosen means of transport and schedule. While the Black Mage could easily be a smooth liar trying to urge them into a trap, after what Irvine had seen of him, it wouldn't surprise him if he was perfectly honest. There was a simplicity about him that made it logical to bring strangers that had crashed from space around the world to see some friends.

"Wouldn't we get in the way?" Irvine asked, interrupting Squall as he was about to ask more information about some airship.

Vivi blinked quizzically before shaking his head with a small laugh. "No, that would be pretty impossible," he answered cryptically. "And about that airship," he continued, turning to Squall. "Commercial exchanges have barely started between the Black Mage Village and the kingdoms, so trading ships don't come here very often. I have no choice but to leave with that one, otherwise I risk missing the wedding."

Squall hummed his understanding, but he still didn't look even half convinced. Irvine didn't blame him; leaving the Village, which had become something like familiar ground –as much as that could be achieved in a day-, would mean being uprooted again and thrown into the total unknown. He wasn't sure that he trusted Vivi enough for that.

"We'll need some time," Squall said with a shake of his head.

"Of course! But please don't take too much time," Vivi agreed, and seemed to want to add something else when two mini-Vivis suddenly came running, nearly tackling their larger version.

Irvine stared at those two newcomers, and didn't need to look to know that Squall was doing the same thing.

"Dad, dad! Mister 33 is stopping!" they yelled in unison, waving their arms anxiously.

Irvine might have been staring at the two small clones –apparently his kids-, but he didn't miss the sudden alarm and pain that shot through Vivi's body language.

"Oh! I'm coming, please go ahead!" Vivi said, and his voice was heavy. The two children nodded and bolted away in the direction of the chocobo hut.

"What's this all about?" Irvine asked, frowning deeply. Whatever was so urgent, it was happening where Selphie was.

"I'll explain later. Please think carefully about what I suggested," Vivi said quickly and dismissively before turning on his heels and running right after his clones.

Irvine blinked, too surprised to react, before tugging at his ponytail nervously.

"Well, if that wasn't a 'don't follow me', I'm a Sorceress," he muttered, half amused, half alarmed.

Squall nodded his agreement, his eyes on the chocobo house. The chocobo was kweh-ing loudly, a keen, pained sound.

"What do you reckon 'stopping' means?" Squall asked finally, turning back to Irvine.

"I have no clue, but it sounds serious." He couldn't shake off the knot of worry for Selphie. "But Selphie's still there, she'll be able to tell us."

"Right." Squall nodded, then came and sat beside Irvine to wait for any development in the sudden, unknown crisis. "What do you think about his suggestion?"

"It didn't sound as if he was suggesting as much as ordering," Irvine snorted. "Or then again, not really ordering, but he was clearly stating that we had no other choice."

"If refusing is going to make them become violent, I'm going to accept his offer," Squall declared.

"Question is, will they become violent? For all we know, Vivi might just shrug and say 'later'."

"I don't think we can afford to take that chance. If he's sincere, then moving won't do us any harm, but if he's not, I want to avoid precipitating any hostility, at least until we know more about this planet." Squall shook his head. "It's not like our chances in a fight would be any better if we stayed here."

Irvine sighed deeply. "In other words, we really don't have a choice." He looked up at the clouds, trying to find the same oblivion he'd managed to absorb himself into earlier. "But I don't think Vivi wants to harm us. What would be the point? He could've done it easily already."

Squall shook his head. "Let's not take any unnecessary risks or assume anything, at least until we've met these friends of his."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. The others will probably agree, anyways. When do you plan on telling them?"

"As soon as this 'stopping' thing is explained."

Indeed, not too long after, Selphie stepped out of the chocobo hut, looking perfectly unharmed but decidedly depressed. Irvine hurried to join her, Squall a respectful pace behind.

"What happened? Are you ok?" Irvine asked worriedly.

Selphie sniffed and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just sad…"

Irvine gently urged her to continue walking, away from whatever had caused this. "What happened, Selphie?" he repeated.

"Mister 33, the one taking care of the chocobo, he died. They call it stopping here, because they just suddenly stop moving, like a broken robot or something," she explained, perking up a little as the shock ebbed away. She might be sensitive to that type of thing, but they were still strangers, and that allowed her to recover faster.

"Is Vivi still there?" Squall asked then, gesturing to the small house.

Selphie nodded. "Yeah, he asked me to please leave them alone for a bit."

Irvine shot Squall a look, who nodded and stopped when they reached a fork in the path. "I'm going to go look for the others. Meet us at the inn in an hour or so."

Irvine didn't watch him leave, turning his attention back on Selphie. Apparently, she'd quickly grown attached to the cute bird and its caretaker, and seeing the Black Mage die in such a weird fashion had unsettled her.

"These people are so weird," she declared at some point. Irvine agreed wholeheartedly with her.

And he had an inkling that it would only get stranger.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Ripples in a Pond  
  
_**Chapter 6**_  
**Rating:**PG-13  
**Warnings:**Violence. Yaoi in further chapters (beware, there is one definite pairing and one threesome)  
  
**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Please do not ask me how Black Mages can have kids. I don't know, and I won't try explaining, ever. Just have fun making up your own theories.

"I thought you were going to meet a trade ship? Doesn't that mean lots of people coming?" Selphie questioned curiously as she walked beside Vivi.

The Black Mage shook his head. "They left a little earlier. Big parties are hard to manage in the forest, and they're slow," he explained with a smile in his voice. "Captain Gale doesn't like delays. Besides, the Black Mages are also going to go to Conde Petie for some more trading before coming back, so they have a long way ahead of them," he explained further. Since the village's position meant for long travels whenever they wished to trade, the mages always left for long periods of time, first to meet the ship and then away to the dwarf city and back to meet another trader, instead of doing too many time-wasting smaller trips.

"What's Conde Petie?"

"A small town to the north-west. It's the only other settlement on this continent."

Selphie whistled at that. "Wow, you guys sure are all alone out here. But won't Captain Gale wonder why you're not with them?" she asked next, pausing before scrambling over a trunk that had fallen across the path. After the relatively wide trails of the inner forest, these ones were a challenge to follow and manage.

"Yes," Vivi answered simply and truthfully. Captain Gale would certainly wonder, and be more than a little upset when Mister 110 explained the reasons of his delay. He was a temperamental man, prone to sudden decisions, but he was also very curious. Vivi was hoping that the latter would overrule his anger and make him stay, if only to see those strangers fallen from the sky.

"And he won't mind extra passengers?" Selphie, Vivi had discovered, was an unending well of questions. So far, he'd enjoyed talking to her. She was friendly and open, with overflowing cheerfulness, and he found it refreshing after the gloomier Squall.

Vivi played with the brim of his hat, a little uneasy with the answer, yet he didn't want to lie, either. It would be utterly pointless. "Probably, but he might make an exception with you," he answered with a nervous laugh. There were too many 'maybes'.

"I'm sure he will!" Maybe Selphie had caught on to his hesitation, cheering him up in her usual bubbly manner. Vivi couldn't help but let it work. He preferred not to think of how he'd go back to Alexandria in time for the wedding if he missed the ship. Going through Fossil Roo was one thing, but then he'd have to cross almost the whole continent, back north to Alexandria. He was sure to be too late.

They took a short break once they'd finally exited the forest, the sun not that high yet in the sky. The trek had been an easy one, with their numbers convincing the monsters to stay away. They weren't in the habit to attack much during the day, and certainly not in large groups like they would have to. The Zemzelett was a lone monster, rarely appearing in teams.

As they rested a bit, Zell walked a few paces back, craning his neck as if to see over the tree tops and beyond. The only visible thing from his position would be the top of the mountains against which the Black Mage forest rested.

"Did you have to make the village in such an isolated spot? It must be annoying having to cross that forest all the time," he remarked, finally sitting back down and grabbing his water skin.

"It's complicated, but yes, the Black Mages had to hide," Vivi answered, looking down at his hands to avoid any further questions. That was all he'd say on the matter.

"They chose a damn good hiding place, then. I don't know who would go in there looking for a village," Zell added. Vivi was immensely glad that he did not question him more, that he accepted that simple statement, for now at least.

"Um, guys? What's that?" Irvine suddenly interrupted, standing up slowly with his strange weapon in both hands, ready to be used. Vivi hadn't seen it at work yet, and could only guess at what it could possibly do.

All eyes turned to search the border of the forest, but what had alerted Irvine really wasn't hard to spot. Big, brightly colored and hardly inconspicuous, the group gaped at the overgrown ladybug hovering slowly out of the forest.

Vivi knew what it was, but he gaped with them all nonetheless. Never had he seen the Color Ladybug venture out of the forest, or even this close to the tree line. Ever.

"Put away your weapons," he finally said, recovering his senses. "It's a friendly monster, it won't harm us."

They all looked skeptical and obviously wanted to do anything but lower their weapons, but Vivi insisted urgently and moved forward, his Mace of Zeus discarded for now, placing himself between the Color Ladybug and Squall's party. He wanted to know why it had left the forest, even if it was only a foot away from the tree line.

He heard the warnings behind him but paid them no heed as he drew the Ladybug's attention to himself. The monster focused its glowing eyes on him, and Vivi was taken aback by the look of terror he found there.

"_Can you spare some Ore?"_ it pleaded, moving forward hesitantly. It appeared to be reluctant to leave the forest, yet too afraid to remain.

Vivi knew that part well, and he fished the desired Ores quickly, throwing them. The Color Ladybug caught the gems easily, but it didn't appear to ease its fear.

"_Can you spare some more?" _

Vivi frowned as he threw two more Ores. The Ladybug normally only required two, but now it was as if it was stashing them away for emergencies.

"What's wrong?" Vivi couldn't help but ask. He didn't expect an answer, but maybe the Ladybug would drop some hint to what was causing this strange behavior. It was deeply unsettling, as this friendly monster was a sign of stability in the forest, a sign that all was as it should be. He didn't want it to leave and rid the Black Mage Village of that assurance.

"_Flee!"_ it answered in a low, urgent and terrified voice.

"What...wait!"

But the Color Ladybug did not linger, zooming away suddenly, definitively abandoning the forest that had been its home for so long. Its colors faded on the horizon, leaving behind a very, very worried Vivi and a few flabbergasted humans.

"What was that all about?" Zell was the first one to speak again. Squall turned his hard stare on Vivi.

"Yes, what was that?" he repeated, his tone clearly demanding answers and demanding them _now_. But Vivi was too shaken to care.

"That was the Color Ladybug, a friendly monster. There are a few of them around the world, but you rarely see them. They just pop out sometimes when they need some Ore. They're said to be good luck." Vivi moved slowly, taking his staff and pack, clearly indicating that their rest was over. Captain Gale was waiting.

_Flee. _

"From what I saw, it looked like the demon was on its tail," Seifer remarked. His hand was still clutched around his blade.

Vivi swallowed painfully. "That's the problem. They cohabit with monsters easily, none of the usual beasts scare them." So then, what had been chasing it to push it to leave the forest? There was something amongst the woods, and Vivi was worried for his fellow Black Mages, and for the Village.

"Let's move, then. I don't want to know what it was and miss the ship," Squall declared, voicing everyone's thoughts. The group started walking again, the traces of the recent crash becoming more frequent as they neared the wrecked Ragnarok.

Vivi was unable to stem the worry that curled into a tight, painful knot in his chest. The others might have understood to an extent what dangers the Ladybug's flight meant, but they ignored the full length of it. It meant that there might not only be one beast on the friendly monster's tail, but a whole upheaval that now rendered the forest so dangerous even it couldn't stay.

And his Village was back there, in the middle of the throng. Completely isolated, like Zell had pointed out, so much that if the forest became too dangerous to cross, it would be almost impossible to receive aid. Or flee.

Only Vivi's knowledge that he might be overreacting prevented him from turning tail and running back to the Village to arrange an evacuation. He was aware that he did not know everything about the Color Ladybug, that there could be a reasonable and harmless explanation to this. With Squall and the others, Zidane and Dagger's wedding and the consequences of everyone abandoning the Village, he just couldn't bring himself to make the decisive move without more tangible proof.

The Ladybug's eerie voice echoed in his head, preventing him from fully convincing himself that he was making the right decision.

Reaching the trading ship took a while longer than he'd anticipated. He'd miscalculated the time it would take to skirt the crash site until they found the closest area of ground flat enough for a landing. By the time the vessel came into view, Vivi could already hear Captain Gale ranting and raving a distance away.

"…wait until I catch that sorry excuse for a mage! Making me late on my next shipment _and_ forcing surprise passengers down my throat! The gall of him! I'll skin his sorry hide!"

Vivi winced, though not faltering as he walked straight towards Captain Gale. The man was tall –though not as much as most of the outsiders. He'd adjusted his definition of 'tall'-, with flamboyant clothing and the voice to go along. He was rubbing a knuckle against his bushy mustache and glaring down at him with unsettling clear blue eyes. Vivi braced himself.

"Vivi Ornitier! What is the meaning of this? The cargo has been loaded since the break of dawn! An honest trader such as I cannot afford such delays!" he boomed, gesticulating widely.

"I'm very sorry, Captain Gale. It all happened so suddenly, I would have sent word if I'd been able," Vivi apologized nervously. No matter how many times he dealt with the trader, he could never get used to that stare and presence.

Captain Gale harrumphed loudly and looked at the company standing behind the Black Mage. His eyes fell on their respective weapons and his brows furrowed deeply in disapproval.

"You understand that I can't afford exposing my crew and cargo to any unnecessary risks," he warned, his voice lowering to a more comfortable level, taking on a bargaining edge.

Vivi nodded and played with his hat. Although Captain Gale appeared to be more inclined to allowing them onboard –his curiosity had won out, apparently-, Vivi was still on slippery ground. A false word could destroy everything.

"I understand, but I swear that they won't cause any trouble. In fact," Vivi lowered his voice slightly, taking on a conspirator's edge, as if he was revealing a secret that would put the weight in Captain Gale's bargaining scale. "They're very powerful, and if anything, could be very helpful."

Captain Gale's eyes narrowed, staring intently at Vivi as he tried to decipher the truth behind his words. He knuckled his moustache as he thought, alternatively eyeing the others and the Black Mage.

"They're warriors, then? Mercenaries?" he asked gruffly. While haggling, you never showed any emotion except distaste.

Vivi nodded. "They know their way around a fight."

Captain Gale considered that for a moment. "Very well!" he finally agreed. "Get on that ship on the double, I was supposed to be across the ocean yesterday!" he boomed, making a few jump at the sudden increased volume. "Move it!"

The remarkable man turned and strode towards his ship as crew members already started to work on the mooring lines. Vivi hurried after him, not wishing to be left behind. Just as he was putting a hand on the first rung of the rope ladder, a hand landed on his shoulder and stopped him.

"Why did you tell him we were warriors?" Squall asked with an edge to his voice.

"I'm sorry, but that's because that's what he wanted to know," Vivi replied urgently. "I had to convince him. Now please," Vivi stressed, starting his ascension up the ladder. "Captain Gale is the type that will leave us behind if we don't get aboard in time."

Vivi knew that Squall was far from happy with that, but he couldn't spare the time to care. He wanted to do anything but ruffle the Captain's feathers a second time, or be left behind. He would not miss Zidane and Dagger's wedding because of Squall's edginess.

Predictably, by the time everyone had climbed the ladder, the crew members had prepared the ship and were taking her off. Vivi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the landscape roll away under him, and as he held on the balustrade and looked beyond, he couldn't help feeling as if he was with Zidane and Dagger and Steiner again, fleeing from the Black Waltz. This ship was almost identical.

He saw Squall walk up to him and stand a pace back, his face tightly closed in what looked to be annoyance.

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, before Squall could speak. "But I needed to tell Captain Gale, or we might not have been able to come on the ship."

Squall took a deep breath and looked away a moment, as if gathering his patience. "You don't even know if we're really that good."

The brown-haired man had just admitted that they were, but Vivi would not be the one to point it out. "Maybe, but Captain Gale doesn't know that either." And he had been part of a fighter's group long enough to recognize a skilled warrior when he saw one.

"We don't want to be tagged as dangerous –," Squall cut off with an angry glare when Vivi played with his hat nervously.

"You had weapons, and though it's nothing unusual, on you people it is. He was worried, and it was the only thing I could say to make him change his mind. I'm really sorry, but I didn't have any time to think of anything else," Vivi explained quickly. He understood how Squall could be edgy, but what he'd said was true. He would've avoided that topic if possible, but with time and an angry captain on his hands, he'd had no choice.

"…Whatever. How long is this trip going to be?"

Vivi paused to consider that question. These ships were surprisingly fast, though of course they couldn't match anything like Cid's Hilda Garde or the Red Rose. From past experience, if everything went smoothly…?

"More or less eight hours." Luckily, Alexandria was on the north coast of the main continent. Going to, say, Lindblum by airship took nearly a day and a half. Nonetheless, they had a long trip ahead of them.

"Thank you," Squall muttered halfheartedly before turning to join his friends.

Vivi watched him go, spotting at the same time one of his children coming to meet him. That had been one of his greatest relief, knowing that his kids were going to Alexandria with him for the marriage and not staying behind in the village. The Ladybug's warning still echoed ominously in his head.

"Dad! Captain Gale says he wants to see you! He looked a bit angry…" the little Vivi said, mumbling to himself at the end and playing with his hat just like his father did.

"Then I won't keep him waiting. Thank you for relaying the message. I'll go see everyone after we've talked, alright?" Vivi offered, his voice soft and indulging towards his child. It had surprised so many, yet they were his pride and joy.

The mini-Vivi exclaimed his agreement loudly, turning to run back to play with his brothers. Vivi could understand his excitement; they didn't get to fly on airships very often. His own good mood, however, was quickly spoiled by the task laid before him. He didn't fancy getting hollered at by Captain Gale. Yet he still made his way to the cabin, if it could be called that. With only one wall made of glass and two wide spaces at the sides, it looked almost out of place on the deck.

"Anything wrong, Captain Gale?" Vivi asked, preferring not to let the man start and gain momentum in his speech.

"Did you notice anything weird, Vivi?"

Vivi blinked, surprised, and it's only then that he noticed the peculiar situation. Captain Gale was alone, for one, steering the ship himself despite his usual habit of letting one of the crew do it. Secondly, his face was serious, yes, but not angry. He appeared worried, in fact.

"Anything weird? Like what?"

Captain Gale seemed to be searching for the right words. He wrinkled his moustache a little and hesitated before answering.

"There has been an increasing number of reports from other ships and traders that work on the far routes. They say that the monsters are getting agitated, attacking ships completely randomly. And apparently they're powerful."

The Ladybug's warning was almost painful to him now, the one word bouncing in his skull madly.

"Well, I don't think I know anything that could help…" Vivi hesitated. He didn't know how much Captain Gale knew of the friendly monsters, if it would mean anything to him.

The large man harrumphed and knuckled his moustache in a nervous gesture. "We're on one of those far trading routes, so we enlist in the potential victims. I want to know everything, even if you don't think it's related," he declared, fixing him sharply.

Vivi felt the brim of his hat, uneasy under those unsettling eyes. "What do you know about friendly monsters?"

"Enough," Captain Gale replied quickly.

"There's --was one in the forest around the village. We saw it leave, and it told us to flee."

For one of the few rare times in his life, Vivi heard Captain Gale curse. The man did not lose his composure, but he'd seemed to have aged considerably in the last few moments. He knuckled his moustache again.

"Let's just hope that we don't run into trouble, then."

Vivi understood now why he'd so easily allowed them onboard after he'd learned that the outlanders were strong fighters; he'd believed all along that he might be attacked.

"Yes, let's hope so…"

Fate was rarely so kind, however, and neither was luck. Just as Vivi's words trailed away, a deep guttural roar erupted through the air, shaking the very planks under their feet.

"There goes our luck! Vivi, grab your fighters, and I hope they really are good ones!" Captain Gale yelled before hollering for a crew member to come replace him as he ran on deck, bellowing orders.

Vivi followed suit, running outside on deck, only to find Squall's group already assembled with their weapons at the ready. Upon seeing him, Selphie perked up and gestured widely.

"Your kids said not to worry and that they're hiding inside!" she reported.

Vivi nodded his thanks, but he was not completely relieved. Of course, he was happy that they had had the sense to stay hidden and not come out in the open where it was even _more_ dangerous, yet the fact still remained that if the monster crashed the ship, they would still be in danger. But there was nothing to do about that, except kill whatever was out there.

'What was out there' soon made its appearance. Flying on broad bluish wings, the monster had a lithe body covered with oily scales of the same color, with a long neck and a gaping maw dripping saliva of a greenish tint. Its two tails wiped about angrily, shaking its legless lower body while its two front legs displayed impressive muscles and claws. Vivi had never seen such a monster, yet he knew instinctively that it was very powerful. A gust of wind brought to him the smell of sulfur and the air crackled with electricity.

The monster –Vivi dubbed it a dragon, as it definitively fell in the category- opened its jaw wide, emitting another bone-jarring roar, and its saliva sprinkled dark dots on the wooden deck that slowly hissed and sizzled and released a foul smell of decay.

There was no time for talk between the fighters. Vivi automatically held a position in retreat, his Mace of Zeus dancing before his eyes as he concentrated his magic. The dragon was flying too far for hand-held weapons, and Vivi noted how Irvine now held the main attack position, with Selphie and Quistis at his sides. Still, the women's weapons were limited in range. Vivi felt his blood run cold; they were at a sad disadvantage.

Still, Vivi didn't waste a second and released a Water spell on the dragon. Its howl turned to a gurgle in the liquid that pressed around its head with such force that normally broke bones, and its wings lost their grip on the wind, caught in the gelatinous bubble. The dragon disappeared below the rail of the ship, but they all knew it was only a momentary relief.

"Please be careful!" Vivi yelled, using the moment to focus his energy and strengthen his magic. "My magic might reach far!"

Irvine sent him a thumbs-up and shouldered his strange weapon better. "You just hang in there!" he called back with complete confidence tingeing his voice.

The dragon's replying roar pierced through their eardrums. It shot up suddenly, scales still moist and mouth generously foaming its hissing poison. Vivi had hoped that the Water spell would have that effect; the poison looked to be disabled for the moment.

Fast as a snake, the dragon reared its head and brought it down to attack. Quistis' whip caught it sharply on the temple, but the monster's scale easily deflected the blow. The dragon's attack continued unhindered, and though Irvine dodged the blow, it still hit his side, smearing him with foam. The cowboy was sent sprawling back a few feet with a groan.

Zell was beside him in a flash, his body gathered together as if to receive a blow and his arms crossed before him in a defensive position. He didn't look down at Irvine, instead keeping his eyes on the monster.

"You ok?"

Irvine propped himself back on his elbows with a grimace. The foam was sizzling through his clothes. "Enough that you don't need to worry about me," he replied, moving as quickly as he could to get the clothing off before the poison reached him. Not fast enough, however, and Irvine obviously held back a scream when the foam hit his skin, filling the air with the smell of burnt flesh.

"Selphie, we need a Treatment now!" Zell bellowed, worry filling his voice. The girl was still standing before the dragon, trying to distract it, though it was obvious that her weapon would be just as unsuccessful as Quistis' in affecting it. When she heard Zell's voice, however, she did not waste a second before running to his side.

Although Vivi was deadly curious as to what she was about to do, he forced himself to keep his focus on the monster despite the flashes of what could be magic dancing at the corner of his eye. The dragon curled its head back again, and energy suddenly flowed through the air with crackling pops. Recognizing the signs of a thunder spell, Vivi did not waste a second and released the Flare he'd readied.

The powerful spell hit the monster square in the face, sending it reeling back with a howl. It trashed, its two tails whipping about wildly and hitting the sides of the ship with dangerous force. The deck tilted and bucked under their feet, and Vivi could hear Captain Gale in the background, ordering his crew around to try and save his ship and their necks.

The dragon came back as soon as the spell had ebbed away, its scales sizzling yet appearing alarmingly unharmed considering the force of the spell just used. Its defense was too powerful, attacking its body was virtually useless. If he hadn't been safely caught in his fighting trance, Vivi might have panicked then.

With all long range weapons having proved useless, Vivi could only cast his hopes on Irvine's mysterious weapon, but the man was curled on his side with poison that had proved to be not at all neutralized eating at his skin. His magic was still there, of course, but seeing as how it only served as momentary distractions, he didn't know how they'd be able to bring this beast down.

Still, he readied another spell when the dragon suddenly gathered itself, raising one powerful arm for an attack. However, the limb never completed its sweeping arch. The dragon's head suddenly snapped back and it roared in pain, blood dripping from its now destroyed left eye.

He'd almost forgotten Squall and Seifer. The leader held his sword strangely, similar to how Irvine held his own weapon, and smoke was rising from the hollow in the blade just over the hilt. Vivi was confused; how had he managed that? Magic? He'd felt nothing of the like. Seifer raised his own sword, and a sharp but small explosion sound resounded, the blade recoiling against Seifer's shoulder and smoke puffing about the hilt. Vivi ignored exactly what had happened, but when he looked back, the dragon's other eye was gone.

Needless to say, the monster was rightfully pissed. It writhed and howled and hit randomly with tails and arms, transforming the fight into complete chaos. Vivi retreated quickly, out of reach of its long limbs, but one of its tails found Zell where he was still protecting Irvine. However, the boy managed to catch it with his crossed arms, his face contorting with effort as his body trembled and buckled against the powerful limb pushing at him. He did not relent, however, and the tail soon retracted to find another prey.

Considering how it could still keep up with the ship despite being blind, Vivi had to assume that its hearing was very sharp.

Vivi had another Flare charged, even though he knew it would take more to kill this monster, but it was all he could do short of casting Doomsday, but that was out of the question so long as he ignored how the others could defend themselves against that particular spell. Squall and Seifer were still attacking in that unknown way, with Quistis trying to distract it with the small sting of her whip, but none achieved much. Zell caught a few other blows, the strain more and more obvious on him, while Selphie still worked on Irvine's injury.

Something needed to be done, and now. The ship itself would not stand so many hits without crashing. Thankfully, the dragon didn't seem inclined on using any thunder spell in its fury.

Vivi hurried to Irvine's side, and shot his Flare, the monster rearing back and whipping its tails in vain.

"How he is?" he asked urgently, standing beside Irvine.

Selphie looked up at him, and Vivi was astonished to see the warrior's look in her eyes, contrasting so sharply with her usual childish demeanor. "He'll live," she replied succinctly. Vivi looked at the trashing dragon, its hits random and furious and mostly failing to find their targets but dealing damage to the ship instead. No one would live if they didn't bring that thing down.

"Of course I will," Irvine groaned, pushing himself up. His face was white and sweaty. "Zell, drop the Cover, I need a clear shot." He brought himself to his knees, shouldering his weapon with unwavering hands. "You guys, I need you to make it open its damn maw wide."

"Alright!" Selphie piped up and ran back in the fray. Zell hesitated but stepped out of Irvine's way, though he remained close. His fists were useless right now, but defending the one who seemed to have a plan would serve just as well.

Having the dragon open its jaw wasn't so hard. It seemed to enjoy roaring and howling, whether it was hit or not. Squall and Seifer danced together, alternatively using the blade and creating those small explosions like miniature canons, successfully annoying the monster. Vivi shot a few more spells, but he mostly watched Irvine. The young man had his eyes fixed on the dragon, waiting. Waiting for what? The monster had its jaw wide open more often than not.

And then it happened. Making noise like a canon, Irvine's weapon spit out _something_ that reached inside the dragon's mouth and exploded, sending smoke curling up from its jaw. Deprived even of the ability to roar and with blood flowing from its mouth along with the poison, the dragon stood frozen for a second, neck arched skyward, before gravity claimed its dead body and it plummeted to the ground. Nobody dared to breathe until they heard the sound of its fall.

Zell let himself fall back on his heels, sighing deeply and knuckling knots out of his shoulders. "Well _shit_, that was one tough bastard," he declared, and the tension in the air evaporated with those first words, everyone shaking themselves back to life.

"It was like being on the Island Closest to Hell again!" Selphie agreed, coming back to check on Irvine.

Vivi didn't know what that island was, but he was in full agreement with Zell. It had been a while since he'd fought such a tough monster in the wild. He did not relish the idea.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Ripples in a Pond

_**Chapter 7**_  
**General Rating: **PG-13  
**Warnings: **N/A. Yaoi in further chapters (beware, there is one definite pairing and one threesome)

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Took way too long, I know.

Truth be told, aside from the dragon's attack, the rest of the trip proved to be quite boring. Seifer was leaning on the railing, staring ahead but not seeing the sea underneath them and the mountainous range of the main continent growing ever bigger on the horizon. That Gale person had assured them –in between profuse thanks- that now that they were over the ocean, the risk of them being attacked was virtually nil. Nobody had believed him at first, but four hours of boredom and uneventful flight, had given credit to his words.

Seifer had liked the fight. It had been dangerous and thrilling and a test of their skills. They already knew that casting magic didn't work, but now it was confirmed that neither Drawing nor trying to summon a GF was any more successful. Eden had resolutely ignored his calls, and Drawing had simply done nothing at all. It was all basic skills after that, and strategy; a good reminder never to become too dependant.

Given the choice, though, he wouldn't readily do it again. But it had still left him feeling more alive than he'd had in a long time. That is, until the dullness sank in.

Vivi had told Squall that the trip would last eight hours. Four had passed, as far as he could tell with no watch and no clock on this sorry excuse for a ship. And he just knew that the remaining four wouldn't be any more entertaining.

Seifer was contemplating taking a nap when he heard footsteps behind him. Bouncy footsteps. He wouldn't have needed to look to know that it was Dincht. There was only one chickenwuss on this ship that could make his walking _sound_ bouncy.

The guy looked lost in thought, which was quite a feat in Seifer's book. And he didn't seem to have noticed him, either. Another surprise.

"What do you want?" Seifer called, his voice immediately catching Dincht's attention. He froze, startled, but it didn't last long enough for Seifer to enjoy it.

"The hell you doing here?" Dincht.

Ah, always so easy to rile up. Seifer smirked arrogantly for his benefit.

"The question applies to you; you're the one who just suddenly came here," he replied quite calmly, and that was always a sure way to make Dincht even angrier.

"I wouldn't have come here if I'd known you were there!"

Seifer raised an eyebrow. "So you're not just dense, but blind as well?"

Dincht growled and bunched his fists together, raising them in what Seifer supposed was a threatening gesture. "Damnit, Almasy! Quit being such an ass!"

"Or you can just stop being so annoying," Seifer countered with a shake of the head, as if he was addressing a stupid, stubborn kid. He felt like he was.

"You're the one that's annoying! Just leave me alone," Dincht huffed, and he resolutely turned his back on Seifer and stalked to the very end of the deck, plopping down sulkily among the ropes.

"Once again, chickenwuss, you're the one who intruded, so I'm in a better position to ask you to leave me alone."

"Shut up, I don't care!" Dincht growled, and he moved as if he was about to jump up again –which would have proven him wrong-, but somehow he held himself back, crossing his arms behind his head and closing his eyes, his scowl still in place.

Seifer chuckled to himself, but he grew tired of the game as well. A pity, since he could not think of another source of entertainment.

Well, he had been thinking of taking a nap, and the chickenwuss seemed to be aiming for the same thing. As long as Dincht didn't snore, Seifer guessed that he wouldn't be too much of a bother.

Settling down as comfortably as he could on the wooden planks, Seifer set to trying to sleep through the remainder of the trip.

When he woke up from his half-hearted doze, it was to the sound of everyone being noisily assembled on deck, looking at something over the left-side railing.

Upon seeing the Alexandria Castle so close, he forcefully told himself that he was not impressed. It couldn't compare to Ultimecia's Castle, after all, even with that tall, blade-shaped _thing_ rising from its centre. Selphie wondered aloud at what it was made of, and he shared her thoughts.

---

Quistis was rightfully curious about the Alexandria Kingdom, but although she wished to visit the sprawling city she'd only glimpsed from above, she guessed that the castle was not such a bad place to start at. They had been asked to wait by that loud, zealous knight that had been there when they landed while Vivi went ahead and warned their Majesties that the unannounced yet surprisingly expected strangers had finally arrived.

She still couldn't fathom how those moogles could travel such distances to deliver mail.

The room in which they had been instructed to wait was modestly decorated, as far as modesty went for a castle. Quistis thought there was just a bit too much drapery and embroidery and gildings to her liking, but then again this whole world was a far cry from what they were used to.

Well, at least they'd brought tea and coffee and small snacks to accommodate them. She didn't have much of an appetite, but she sipped on some tea if only to pass time, watching the others stalk around the room like locked up Coeurls, only waiting for a chance to attack. Well, the men looked that way at least. Selphie standing before the window, exclaiming occasionally about what she saw among the slated rooftops below.

Just then, a commotion was heard on the other side of the solid wooden door. Though the voices were mostly muffled to incomprehensible murmurs, Quistis thought she could make out the voice of that knight she'd forgotten the name of, and a girl's. They seemed to be arguing.

The tension in the room rose a few notches, the group unsure of what an argument could have in store for them. Before Seifer finally decided to open the door and see for himself, it swung inwards to reveal a bright young girl that was quite obviously ignoring the knight's antics.

"Hey! You really are a bunch of weirdoes!"

Quistis couldn't help rising her eyebrows in surprise and amusement. Mostly surprise. The girl was ordinary enough despite her purplish hair, but the small horn protruding from her forehead was far from normal. To her, at least.

"I didn't believe you were real! Mogryo sometimes gets carried away because he loves crazy stories so much," the girl continued, scanning the crowd without an ounce of uneasiness.

"You can't go in! They must be treacherous ruffians, it's dangerous!" the knight at the door complained loudly, gesticulating and causing his armor to produce quite a racket.

"No they aren't! Vivi brought them here and he's ok so they must be as well! Don't you trust him?" the girl countered, placing her fists on her hips and glaring back at the knight.

The man drew himself tall and stiff at her words. "Of course I trust Master Vivi!" he proclaimed, and only realized a beat later that he'd contradicted his previous misgivings.

"See? No problem!" The girl turned her back on the fuming knight, who refused to close the door so that he could keep a watch on them all, and smiled a triumphant and cheeky smile.

Quistis chuckled in her hand. The way that slip of a girl handled the loud knight produced an amusing tableau.

"I'm Eiko, by the way! Pleased to meet ya!" she greeted, drawing herself up to her maximum –albeit still short- height. "Don't mind Steiner too much, he's harmless," she added, and only smiled wider when the man reacted violently at her words, proclaiming loud and clear that he was anything but harmless.

If he knew how to handle that broadsword strapped to his back with enough skill to deserve a commanding position, Quistis believed him.

"What do you want?" Seifer asked, literally towering over her from the top of his six feet-and-something inches. She looked up at him as if _she_ were the one looming over him. Quistis chuckled again. That girl sure had nerve!

"See exactly what got Vivi and his kids so excited. The rumors about you have already reached town, you know?" Eiko moved to the low table in the center of the room and helped herself to some of the small cupcakes. "I heard you defeated a super-tough dragon monster!"

Quistis noticed that Squall was starting to look thoroughly annoyed. Well, it couldn't be helped; Eiko overflowed with energy and had an in-your-face attitude that was bound to grate on their leader's nerves. He'd been very susceptible ever since he'd accepted this mission.

"Vivi helped," Quistis answered smoothly. "He's got very powerful magic."

"Yeah, he's a real powerful black mage! And I'm the best white mage there is!" she declared, fists on hips and puffing her chest proudly.

Steiner hissed a warning about disclosing such information to possible spies or miscreants –he really had an interesting vocabulary when it came to naming criminals-, but Eiko mostly ignored him, stating that it was vastly known knowledge anyways.

"What's the difference?" Selphie asked. She'd turned her back on the windowsill, her full attention now on Eiko.

The little girl goggled at them as if they'd all grown a second head.

"Wow, you really don't come from here!" Shaking off her surprise, she adopted a scholarly attitude that was comical on her. "Black mages use offensive magic, and white mages use healing magic! It's simple! Except for Holy, because that's offensive too, but the Black mages can't use it anyways. And I guess it gets a little weird for the magic that gives status ailments, because that's also considered white magic."

As she said, it really was simple enough. Quistis wondered why both magic types couldn't be mastered by the same individual, if it was because of biological barriers or because of the nature of the magic types themselves.

"Are there white mages like there are Black Mages?" Quistis asked. With her horn, she thought that Eiko might be of a specific race, like the genomes.

"You could say it like that, I guess. But we're not nearly as many as the Black Mages. See, Madain Sari was destroyed and all the summoners died, and summoners are the best white mages there are! Dagger and me are the only ones left now," Eiko's voice had a strange ring to it as she answered.

Quistis hid her surprise by sipping some tea. Summoners? Could that mean that that little girl could summon creatures like they did Guardian Forces..? If that was the case, they were lucky that trying to call a GF had proved as successful as using magic; if they'd succeeded, and if her account of the summoners' extinction was to be believed, they would've thrown themselves in a rightful mess.

For now, their summons were more force to reckon with, more danger, something else this world had that they'd lost.

"Miss Eiko! Don't say such things before strangers! What if they planned on extracting them away again like Zorn and Thorn did?" Steiner was yelling now, bouncing in red-faced consternation. "And you dare mention the Queen and put her to such danger-"

"Steiner!" Eiko turned on him with annoyance, cutting off his tirade. "You're the one who just screwed everything up; they didn't know who Dagger was!" Steiner had the decency to look stricken upon realizing his mistake. "And besides, everyone knows about her summons, so what does it matter if they learn it now or later?"

Once again out of arguments, Steiner could only fume in silence. Quistis could not find it in herself to be amused anymore.

"Eiko, who are Zorn and Thorn? And what did they extract? How?" she asked. Her question picked the interest of the others as well; they were probably following through with the same deduction she'd had.

Eiko looked uncomfortable, and Quistis wondered if she'd touched a sensible or forbidden subject.

"They were evil men who took Dagger's Eidolons from her with some ceremony, and they tried doing the same with me." Her hands went to her chest protectively as she answered.

"Eidolons?"

Eiko nodded, recovering her overly cheery self. "They're the guardian gods summoners can call for help!"

Quistis dubbed them as GFs, then. In any case, that extracting ceremony sounded something like the way they used Draw to take magic and GFs from enemies. Another ability that had failed them upon crashing on this planet.

Before anyone else could question her more, a guard came up and snapped a salute before Steiner, shooting the open room and Eiko a nervous glance.

"Lord Tribal asked to bring the leader of the strangers to him, sir!" the soldier declared, and that easily caught everyone's attention.

"Finally!" Steiner looked at Squall, then at his gunblade. "You'll have to come unarmed," he ordered firmly. Quistis saw the corners of Squall's eye narrow at being told to leave his weapon behind.

Quistis knew him well though, and knew that he'd obey if it was needed. It wouldn't make him happy at all, and that was never good, but that couldn't be helped. She watched as he handed his weapon to Seifer, of all people –she assumed it was based on fundamental trust between gunblade masters- and walked to the door.

Eiko was right there beside him in an instant. "I'll guide you! It'll be more interesting than with this boring guy, and you can tell me more about everything!"

Squall sighed deeply, but the one who spoke first to object was, predictably, Steiner.

"You can't! It's too dangerous; you should let trained soldiers take care of this matter!"

Eiko rolled her eyes and ignored him as she urged Squall down the hall.

"That's stupid! I'm totally better than any one of your puny soldiers! And we're in the middle of the castle, he'd be dumb to try anything now. Besides, he's unarmed and I always have Mog watching over me, so it's ok!" she explained quickly, not giving Steiner any room to reply. He watched her go with an angry scowl, unable to leave his post for fear of what the others might do.

Quistis laughed quietly at the way Eiko could overrule Steiner so forcefully and easily. Squall didn't look so pleased, but it would've surprised her. She came to wonder at who or what Mog was, the Mini-Mog card coming to mind and not easing her growing nervousness.

---

Zidane looked up as Eiko herded the stranger –Squall Leonhart- into the room. Zidane's immediate impression was that he was not happy to be here at this moment. It didn't surprise him, especially when remembering what Vivi had told him about that Squall person and his group of oddballs.

"Thanks for bringing him here, Eiko. I bet you put Rusty in a fit," Zidane said as a way of greeting, smiling wide at the young girl –who was not so young anymore, he had to remind himself- as she gingerly walked to him. She returned his smile enthusiastically.

"You bet I did!"

Zidane felt a momentary pang of pity for Steiner; he only meant well, but Zidane knew from experience how it was when the Commander of the Knights of Pluto didn't trust you, especially around a royal personage.

"You just missed Vivi, he ran off to find Dagger."

"I think I'll go see him, then." Eiko nodded to herself and looked over her shoulder at Squall before returning her attention to the genome. "Don't let that guy bother you; he's silent and moody but really just as soft as Amarant!"

Her bright, cheerful laugh followed her out of the room, not quite covering Squall's exasperated sigh.

"She's a nice girl, it just needs a little getting used-to," Zidane said when the door had closed behind her, scratching his neck sheepishly.

Squall did not speak for a moment. "I can see that," he finally assented in a slow, careful tone. "Are you Lord Tribal?"

"Geez, who said that again?" Zidane muttered. He hated the sound of the title, but there was no way of banning or discouraging its use. It was a small step indeed before he was called king.

Squall raised his eyebrows, as if he took it to mean that Zidane wasn't the named lord. Flapping his hands at his sides, Zidane hurriedly nodded to correct the misunderstanding.

"That's me alright. Just call me Zidane. You're Squall Leonhart, according to Vivi."

Squall nodded, ever careful and wary in his every gesture. Zidane couldn't blame him.

"You look like you swallowed a lemon. Let me guess, Rusty took your weapon?"

He was taking a wild guess, but according to Vivi, Squall was a veteran fighter. Steiner would never have let him come here armed, though Zidane would've preferred it that way if it could have helped Squall feel more at ease. He could defend himself, and had had enough cause in the past to keep the Ultimate Weapon's two daggers strapped to his thighs almost constantly. Nobles got jealous when a nobody, a thief, managed to rise above them.

Squall nodded again; Zidane noted sourly how Eiko had been right about him being silent. Good thing he could talk for two if need be.

"I'm sorry about that. I would've told him not to bother, though I doubt he would've listened. He's stubborn when it comes to his charges' security."

Squall sighed again, and this time he did talk, his voice not so guarded that Zidane couldn't hear the annoyance in it.

"Did you bring me here just to chat?" he asked, staring straight at him with his pale eyes.

Zidane smiled apologetically. "Actually, yes. But sorry, I wandered off topic." Now he became more serious, considering Squall carefully. "I brought you here so that you could tell me your story. I only got bits and pieces from Vivi, and they're already weird." Zidane smiled openly to look less condemning. "Of course, in return you can ask as many questions as you want!"

Squall eyed him, remaining silent long enough that Zidane suspected he wouldn't say anything after all. Then, slowly, he spoke.

"Who are you, exactly? Vivi told us about friends marrying; is that you?"

Zidane wasn't all that surprised by the query in itself, but what caught him off guard was that Squall hadn't been told anything about exactly who they were, aside maybe from holding a noble status. Then again, Zidane was no noble, and wouldn't be, until he wed Dagger and was crowned King.

Uncomfortable with the question, Zidane scratched the nape of his neck nervously, his tail swinging in a broken rhythm around his ankles.

"I'm Zidane Tribal, like I told you. I'm not a lord yet, though people call me that already, but I'll be crowned King once I marry Garnet," he finally explained. It still sounded awfully weird to his ears.

Squall's eyes tightened at the piece of information. "Isn't Dagger the Queen?"

Zidane shook his head. "Queen Garnet, actually. Dagger's just an old nickname." He couldn't help his smile; an old nickname indeed, but the memories tied to it would always remain fresh in his mind.

"Is she a genome as well?"

Ah, so he'd noticed. Zidane was used to people's looks now, and so he hadn't given it any attention. Of course Squall would know about genomes if he'd resided in the Black Mage Village, and finding one here, as the future King, might be a bit of a surprise.

"Nah, she's not. I'm the only genome in Alexandria, as far as I know."

And he'd leave it at that. Squall did not need to know any more of their story for now. The strange man considered all this for a moment, and Zidane could literally see him thinking.

"How do we have to act around nobles?" Squall finally asked.

Zidane was to see Squall ask so many questions, liking it better than the silent wall he'd faced before. It promised a long and interesting conversation, so he flopped down on one of the many simple chairs of the room, flipping it backwards so that he could rest his arms on the back. Squall's latest question was a little strange from his point of view, but he guessed it couldn't be helped; these people were complete strangers to this world.

"Sit. I asked to have some water and wine brought up, it shouldn't be long. We'll be talking a long time, so you'd better get comfortable."

In fact, Squall looked anything but comfortable as he sat stiffly in a chair, but it was a beginning. That done, Zidane started explaining the thankfully simple protocol, and let Squall question him more. The man asked pertinent and precise questions, revealing a sharp and intelligent mind.

Eventually, however, Zidane cut him off.

"Before you ask anything else, I think it's my turn. Tell me your story." He was deadly serious, although he was aware that he would not be getting the whole story.

Squall stiffened slightly. "Let me ask one last thing: what's going to happen to us?"

Zidane blinked, taken aback momentarily.

"Nothing, unless you attack someone or something. You're absolutely free, like every other person in this city. You aren't criminals." It would be unfair otherwise.

Steiner would throw a fit, but although Zidane wasn't a master at politics, he knew that Dagger would agree, and Beatrix would be easily convinced. He had no cause to imprison people that were so far perfectly innocent, or to restrain their movements.

Squall nodded with obvious relief. "What do you want to know?"

"Just start at the beginning."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter 8_**  
**Rating:** PG for now, rating will go up in further chapters.  
**Warnings:** Nothing here; yaoi in later chapters.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **It's alive! And will remain alive. This chapter is less action-and-plot-developping and more concentrated on the dialogue and the creation of a setting. Sorry if that isn't exactly what you're expecting from a revival, but I needed to set down some bases and tie up some loose ends from before if I wished to continue this. You have been duly warned.;

The Alexandrian kingdom cannot be qualified as small. True, there are only a few main roads, the rest consisting of small, crooked alleys, but those spread out like a giant spider web, forming a head spinning maze for any newcomers venturing in the lesser paths. Zell was everything the newcomer, and he'd gotten lost more often than not while exploring the place. As frustrating as it was, he didn't really mind. He didn't have anything better to do.

Adapting to the city had encompassed more than simple geographic novelties. The first time Zell had stepped outside the castle and seen a dog-man dressed in velvet fineries with a gracious bird-woman at his arm, he hadn't known whether to gape, laugh or run. The number of animal-like races that lived with humans was astounding, though it was obvious that it was perfectly normal here. Zell had familiarized himself with the fact quickly enough. He was well accustomed to the Shumi tribe and the moombas, though the atmosphere of the Shumi village could not compare with the streets of Alexandria.

After Squall had come back from his meeting, he'd told them that they had quarters in the castle for the moment, could come and go as they wished, and that they were pretty much free to do whatever they wanted. That had proved to be a little problem, because they didn't _know_ what to do, aside from playing tourists. That couldn't last. Eventually they'd outlive their welcome and would have to find some kind of work and settle down outside the castle. Permanently.

Settling down would confirm that they were stuck here, that this was their new home. Zell preferred doing everything possible to avoid thinking about that outcome. So living on the go, as if they might suddenly find a solution and leave, was far more appealing to him.

Craning his neck, he tried to read the posts and banners of the many shops on both sides of the road. He was pretty sure he'd seen that smithy around here, near that shop with the cheap, gaudy red and gold drapes over the door. That Zidane fellow had made sure they all got a little pocket change to restock and enjoy the kingdom. Zell had used it to replace some of his clothing –much to his annoyance, because these old-fashioned trousers couldn't compare to his shorts for freedom of movement—and stashed the rest to use on his Ehrgeiz. The metal plates needed some patching up and polishing; that dragon had done more damage on them than he cared about.

After some more wandering, Zell finally spotted the smithy. He'd looker over a few others, only to come to the conclusion that this one was probably the best at its trade. With their adamantine plates, he couldn't just trust his precious gloves with the first amateur he crossed.

The smithy, which doubled as a weapon shop, was, despite its large size, sweltering hot. The brazier burned high and hot in its stone hearth in the corner of the shop. A man in a thick leather apron was working thongs among the flames. Zell watched as the smithy removed the thongs from the fire and started hammering on the long metal slice –a sword, probably—it held. The man only raised his head when he was done with his work, resolutely ignoring Zell until he'd put it up to cool down completely.

"What can I do for ya?" the smithy finally asked, wiping his hands on a rag and staring up at Zell, who'd started fidgeting impatiently, sweating in the heat of the place. It was a change for him, to be able to stare_ down_ at people more often than up. The average height in Alexandria wasn't very imposing.

"Can you clean these up?" Zell asked, placing his gloves on the counter with some reluctance. Adamantine was a touchy metal. If poorly handled, it could be ruined in a matter of seconds.

The smithy raised surprised eyebrows when he recognized the metal presented. He held them up, inspecting the quality and damage. "Ya got some nice plates there. I don't get ta see many o' that kind."

Zell crossed his arms to prevent himself from taking them right back. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all…

"Well, can you?" he pressed impatiently. If the guy hesitated one more minute, he was going to leave. With his gloves.

"Peace, lad. I'll take good care of 'em for ya. I ain't seen a lot of 'em, but I know my trade," the smithy assured, but he didn't bother looking at Zell. He was still examining the gloves. "Where'd ya find them, if ya don't mind my askin'?"

"Custom made," Zell answered smugly, a large grin splitting his face. Hunting for the necessary items had been one hell of a pain, but they were well worth it. Zell proudly told anyone who would listen –or not—that his gloves were the only other thing that could safely take a blow from the Lionheart blade.

"You?" Now the smithy looked at Zell doubtfully.

Deflating somewhat, Zell shook his head. "Nah. Otherwise I'd take care of the repairs myself!"

"Hm. Which shop? I'd rudy like ta know who made these plates. One o' the finest adamantine alloys I've seen."

Zell inwardly cursed himself. How was he supposed to answer that? He knew absolutely no other weapon maker on this damn planet, and that guy was bound to know about any other shop in Alexandria.

"Erm…well, see, it's---erm, confidential. Professional secret," Zell stammered, lying badly and miserably. The smithy narrowed his eyes at him. "Look man, I can't say. How much will it be?" he asked instead, trying to distract the man enough to change the subject.

The smithy was far from impressed. He stared at Zell for a moment, who tried not to squirm uncomfortably, and finally put down the gloves to grab a registry book and a quill.

"Ain't cheap, lad. 1000 gil."

Zell tried not to wince. That was about all he had left. Still, he dumped the sum on the wooden table. He had no better use for it. "When?"

"Is it urgent?"

Zell shrugged. The way things were going, he'd be here all his life. "Not really."

The smithy nodded and put the registry away after scribbling a few notes. "Come back in three days."

Zell nodded. With one last nervous look at his gloves, he turned and headed for the door. A sudden thought made him stop with a hand on the knob. "Don't you need my name or something?"

The smithy grinned. He was missing a tooth. "Nah, that tattoo's all I need. I'd ask where ya got it, but I bet ya can't say."

Zell grimaced apologetically. "Sorry man." He was slowly realizing that there'd be a lot of things he wouldn't be able to say. Knowing himself, he was bound to blab about something he wasn't supposed to. It wasn't a heartening thought.

"C'mon, get outta here." The man waved him out with good humor.

And the martial arts master did, stepping back into the warmth of the street, which appeared blessedly cool after the weapon shop.

Only to hit someone square in the chest. Zell scrambled back and actually had to look up, way up, to see the guy. He'd gotten used to short people. He didn't miss the taller average of his folk.

"Watch your steps, chicken wuss." Of course, of all the possible people, it had to be _Almasy_. Who'd spent his days having a tailor mend his damn coat. Zell hoped he was sweltering under there.

"It's your problem for standing in front of the door like that!" Zell replied angrily, sidestepping Almasy. Caught between the man's height and the building, he felt like a trapped animal.

"Sorry, I wasn't looking down, so I guessed I missed you coming out," Almasy replied with a fake apologetic shake of the head.

Zell knew he was susceptible about his height. He knew Almasy knew it was the best way to get him angry. Yet he couldn't help himself, his temper just flared up, taking the bait every single time.

"What was that?!" he yelled, brandishing his gloveless fists. Fucking Almasy just arched an arrogant eyebrow.

"Did I say something to insult you? I'm sorry to hear it." Of course, his grin clearly showed that he was anything but sorry.

Grinding his teeth angrily to stop himself from starting a fight in public, Zell lowered his hands and crossed his arms. Almasy wasn't worth it. He kept repeating that sentence to himself, trying to calm down. He wasn't worth it and it would please him far too much.

"What were you doing anyway, standing there?" Zell finally managed to hiss through clenched teeth. There. He wasn't going to be immature and blow a fuse in the middle of the road.

The martial arts master took immense pleasure in the brief flash of surprise that Almasy wasn't quite fast enough to hide. He'd expected more of a fight. Zell would remember that.

"I don't remember saying it was any of your business."

That was such a typical answer that he couldn't have been annoyed even if he'd tried. Zell simply shrugged.

"You were aiming for the weapon shop, weren't you?" he said instead. Eh, he was being the reasonable one for once. It wasn't quite the same as venting his temper, but it still felt good.

Almasy eyed him carefully for a moment before answering. "Yeah. Got some nasty notches on my glade that need to be removed. From the dragon fight, and no thanks to you, come to think of it. You just stood there doing nothing."

That remark broke the little aloofness Zell had been able to gather. "What the hell? I covered Irvine!" he yelled defensively. The sharpshooter had needed treatment, and they'd all needed his gun to be able to bring that dragon down. Zell did not regret his role in the least.

"Yes, if you say so," Almasy answered with the condescension of someone speaking to a kid.

"Fuck you, Almasy, you know it's true!" Zell growled. He'd adopted a fighting position without realizing it. He didn't care enough anymore to stand down.

Almasy had subtly changed his position as well, switching his footing and balance so that he'd be ready to receive and counter anything Zell threw at him. And the martial arts master would have answered that call, except that someone tapped his shoulder, making him snap around sharply, his fist thrown in pure reflex and connecting with a large forearm.

"…The hell?"

The guy to whom the forearm belonged was tall for this place's standards, wide and decidedly very muscular. And he also had the biggest mane of red dreads Zell had ever seen in his life. It made his head appear thrice its size.

"If you don't mind taking this elsewhere, I'd like to get in that shop," the stranger spoke calmly, as if he hadn't just been on the receiving end of a punch Zell knew must have hurt at least a little, no matter the leather protections on the guy's forearms. That hit would have broken a bone if he'd been wearing his gloves.

"And who are you?" Almasy challenged behind his back.

"It doesn't matter. Excuse me." Too surprised to react properly, Zell just moved aside when the man started walking for the shop, sidestepping Almasy and squeezing in the shop.

Zell blinked after him, anger definitively evaporated. He looked sideways at Almasy.

"Weird guy."

Almasy nodded absently, too busy glaring at the door where the redheaded man had disappeared.

Shrugging dismissively, Zell just started walking away. Considering how fast and easily that guy had stopped his punch, Zell wasn't too keen on picking a fight right now. He'd leave Almasy to it. The thought made him smirk.

Around him, the streets were bustling with activity. The preparations for the royal wedding were well under way, some people already celebrating in their own way. Zell jostled his way through the crowd, moving towards where he thought the castle was. Hopefully he wouldn't get too lost, he was getting damn hungry.

---

When Amarant stepped back outside, the two strange men weren't there anymore. He looked up and down the street, just in case he might spot one of them, but the crowds were free of conspicuously tall characters. Just as well, really, but he was curious about them, somewhat. The smaller kid had very good reflexes and speed, and packed more of a punch than he'd anticipated from his stature.

But it didn't matter in the end. Amarant started ambling down the street towards the castle. The crowd moved easily away from him. He'd told the others that he'd be at the wedding, he couldn't bother with anything else right now.

---

Almost everyone was assembled in the courtyard by now. Garnet looked over the faces of each of her old friends and couldn't help her smile. It had been a long time since they'd been together like this. Only Amarant was missing, but Freya had assured them that he was on his way. Garnet wasn't worried. The man had always had his own agenda. He'd be here.

"What do we do with them?"

Garnet looked upwards at the cloudy sky, thinking. Freya's question was a good one. What to do with the newcomers? They couldn't arrest them or put them under guard, that would be beyond unfair and unjustified, but she felt a tight knot of worry just thinking about letting them roam the land freely. Though she wished only to see their friendliness proven, her experiences with otherworldly beings weren't all that positive. Zidane wasn't enough to tip that scale.

"We can't do anything. We have nothing against them and they supposedly have nothing against us," Zidane answered, voicing her own thoughts. Although she knew that answer to be the right one, she still felt irrational worry.

"That is not the point!" Steiner fumed. He hadn't taken a liking to these strangers. Garnet figured that them being seasoned fighters had a large role to play in his distrust. "We should have them on constant watch, we cannot wait until it is too late to act!"

"I'm pretty sure they'll know immediately that they're being watched. After what I told Squall, I doubt they'll take well to the lie." Zidane shook his head.

"Still..!" Steiner could hardly find something to say against that. He understood the value of one's word.

Garnet listened as they argued back and forth, mostly rehashing the same arguments. It all came down to the same thing: they were torn between duty and feelings. Duty told them that they could not do anything against Squall's party, but feelings argued against letting them off completely unguarded. Garnet had learned quickly that a Queen's job entailed distancing feelings from duty to make proper decisions, no matter how hard they might be.

"Zidane is right," she finally interrupted. "We cannot, and will not, do anything against Squall and his friends." Her gaze settled on Steiner. The knight grumbled an unconvinced approval. "That does not mean, however, that we should sit back and twiddle our thumbs idly."

"You've got a plan?" Eiko piped up suddenly. She'd been energetically arguing with Steiner for most of the discussion, but now she'd dismissed him almost completely. Contrarily to the knight, she trusted and liked, to a certain point, these people. Garnet suspected it had something to do with Vivi's own trust in them.

She nodded. "I think that we should try and help them instead."

This sentence met with momentary puzzlement, but then Vivi and Zidane nodded almost at the same time, shooting each other a knowing look and smiling fondly. Garnet would wonder about the meaning of that later.

"Good idea," Zidane approved. "That way, whether they're really harmless or not, we'll be there."

"I see! And if they're really not mean, then we'll be helping them, like we should be doing!" Eiko exclaimed enthusiastically.

Garnet was happy to see that her opinion met with general approval. It was the only way she'd found to reconcile both her duties and her instincts. Still, she felt a pang of guilt. It felt as if she were spying on them after all.

"But how can we achieve that?" Freya had a talent for questions, Garnet mused. How to help them indeed? They didn't even understand how they'd _crashed_ here in the first place.

"We should start with their ship," Vivi answered for her. He played with his hat, as was his habit when he was unsure or nervous about something. "We could go investigate it, see if anything can be salvaged."

Once again, that proposition was received favorably from the assembled people, though Garnet suspected with amusement that it was more out of curiosity than real altruism. Aside from Vivi, no one had seen that fabled ship that came from space. Zidane had recounted Squall's tale, although all agreed that the man had probably left out some parts of it. It was incredibly simple and well-intentioned, but at the same time triggered wonderment and intense curiosity, especially for the more scientists of them. The level of technology and knowledge it all entailed was particularly impressive.

She chuckled to herself. She'd have to send Uncle Cid a message. He'd be ecstatic.

"Then we should wait after the wedding," Freya added, cutting through the rush of hasty planning and expectations.

"Of course!" Steiner exclaimed righteously, standing straighter. "It is currently our top priority."

This time, it was Garnet's turn to smile fondly. She looked up briefly to meet Zidane's open, genuinely happy expression, his eyes shining with eagerness. She tried returning his intensity. The trip to the wreck would have to wait. This was more important, especially after all the political struggles it had taken to have the council accept a nobody, a common thief --even if he'd saved the planet—as the future king. She would not bear to see her hopes broken now.

Garnet suddenly noticed that Vivi seemed even more uneasy. She subtly shuffled closer to him.

"Something wrong?" she asked in a low voice to try attracting as less attention as possible.

"Well…" the black mage hesitated. Oh yes, he was uneasy about something. Knowing Vivi, it was probably very serious. Garnet waited until he was ready to talk again. "Something else happened beside the crash I didn't tell you all about," he finally admitted.

Frowning, Garnet tried to think of what it could be. Vivi wasn't a natural liar, she knew he'd spoken truthfully about the strangers. Then what was it..?

"I think everyone should listen to this."

Both jumped at the rumble of a voice that suddenly spoke beside them. Amarant was standing there with his arms crossed, perfectly at ease. Garnet didn't know how he'd managed to come here completely unannounced and undetected, but she wasn't going to ask. Amarant was Amarant because he pulled stunts and entrances like this.

"Listen to what?"

With everyone's attention now on him, Vivi seemed even more uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, he let go of his hat and discarded his nervousness like he'd come to learn to do. Garnet smiled warmly in encouragement.

"Well, something happened while we were leaving the Black Mage Village," he started, picking up momentum as he went. "Just when we were out of the forest, the Color Ladybug appeared. She told us to flee, then flew away from the forest."

Garnet stared at him just like everyone else. They all knew what the presence of friendly monsters meant, had all seen the Color Ladybug. This did not bode well.

"Is it why you want to go and see the ship first?" Freya demanded, a small concerned frown visible under the brim of her hat. "If it's so dangerous, we might be better not to go until we know what the problem is."

"The village is there, in the forest," Zidane put in, shrugging. "Vivi is worried," he added with a smile as friendly and mischievous as they come.

"Your honor is commendable, Master Vivi! We shall go and slay the evil that threatens your people before it can act!" Steiner exclaimed loud and clear, and although his enthusiasm wasn't matched by anyone else present, the comments were those of offered help and supportive words.

Garnet looked across at Zidane. He was loudly eager about helping Vivi, but as soon as his gaze crossed hers, he sobered.

"But what could chase a friendly monster away from its territory?" she asked him.

Zidane shrugged dismissively. "No clue, but we're just going to have to find out! We can't wait until it's too late before going, we might never get the warnings in time." His voice tried being reassuring. "Think back to all we've faced. This can't be worse, right?"

Garnet shook her head. If only she could agree to such simple logic. "I don't know…"

The king-to-be stood up and came to sit beside her. "I know what you think. But we can't just let Vivi worry about his friends alone. We'll find out what it is, then we'll work on a plan," he assured her confidently, placing a hand over hers.

She smiled thinly. "Of course."

"…What is this about a ship? Is it that rumor from town about a crashed spaceship?" Amarant asked after a few moments of silence. Garnet blinked, half caught by surprise, and looked up at the bounty hunter.

"That's right, you were not there at beginning. Zidane, can you explain it to him? I'll talk to Vivi," she asked the genome, who immediately agreed.

The black mage was still beside her, but he was lost in thoughts, gloomily looking at the ground. She hesitated before breaking into his musings.

"Don't worry, we're going to go help them," she assured him for lack of better words. There wasn't much that could be done for Vivi right now, short of immediate action. "I'll ask Beatrix to send troops to scout the area," she added.

"Thank you, but it's alright. Beatrix is busy enough as is and I don't want to disturb your wedding more than I already did so far," he rejected, and Garnet knew that the lightness in his tone was forced. "If something happens, we'll hear about it through Mogryo…"

_Maybe,_ Garnet mentally completed for him. _And hopefully not too late. _But now wasn't the time to voice her misgivings, so she smiled and hoped she looked more confident than she felt. "Very well, if you say so. I'm sure they're alright, they're powerful black mages, just like you!"

"I know. Thanks."

She hoped she was right. Then again, it might be nothing. Friendly monsters had a knack for weird behavior. She stood up, ready to leave –she still had a lot of things to do today, after all--, when Zidane jumped up and yelled in surprise, successfully attracting everyone's attention.

"He _hit_ you?!" he repeated, looking torn between disbelief and utter amusement. It was obvious that he was holding back laughter.

Nodding, Amarant ignored the genome's antics. "Yes. I was sure the other would follow me in the shop, but he wisely did not. You have sheltered strange people."

"He hit you!" Zidane snorted, choking on laughter. Garnet understood his mirth. Amarant usually was someone who discouraged hits with his simple appearance, or generously repaid the foolish ones. "They—I, did they cause any problems?"

"Not that I saw."

Zidane nodded repeatedly, still smiling widely. "Right, that's good. I hoped they wouldn't make a scene out there. Thanks for telling me."

"And you will help them."

"Yeah, it's our best plan. They'll be happier back where they came from."

"Hm. I hope it is as simple as you make it seem."

At those words, Garnet couldn't help the strong feeling of dread that crept up to curl tight in her stomach. She hoped very strongly that he was right.

---

_Devastation. Anger. It looked but did not look, for it could not see, but could sense and feel just like eyes. Destruction. _

_Slowly it moved away. The small thing –insignificant—was not there. It was alone amongst the ruins. It left them behind. It could still feel the power of destruction that had befallen it. _

_Hate, vengeance. _

_It had not left in a long time. It did not count time, but he saw –felt— differences in the new surroundings. It was too old to remember its first awakening, but it remembered chaos until it had found its haven. Now it felt calmness. Unacceptable._

_It could not forget the destruction. It had slept and thrived peacefully, but now it was awake and seeking revenge. It would bring chaos to break this serenity and take its retribution. _

_Creatures fled before it, some died from its presence. It did not care. It was unaware of its power, of the idea of _strength _and_ powerful_, all it knew was that it would take revenge, that it _could_and would. _

_Roaming the land slowly --time or patience were unknown to it; it only knew of its goal and to see it achieved; soon or late were unimportant--, it searched for the source of the destruction. _

_It would find it, and it would take revenge upon all. Only then would it retreat back to a new sanctuary. _

_All fled before it, and the masters of existence and power trembled in their lairs._

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter 8  
_Rating: PG  
Warnings: **Untoward violence to some poor innocent airship. And yaoi in yet further chapters.  
**Pairings: **(Since it's become pretty obvious in one case) Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome won't be named to avoid spoilers.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **I am not happy with the marriage scene, but it thwarted me till the end, so bleh.

Among the hustle and bustle of last minute preparations for the wedding, Quistis had unwittingly attracted the attentions of a fierce maid that had taken it upon herself to further alter her already very modified wardrobe. Before she could so much as blink, much less protest, she'd found herself in a dressing room, discarded dresses surrounding her and mercilessly preventing any escape.

"What _is_ with you tall ladies?" the maid sighed exasperatedly for the hundredth time, rummaging through important numbers of chests and wardrobes. Quistis really wondered to whom it all belonged.

"I wouldn't want to inconvenience you longer…?"

"Raina."

"Raina. I'm sure what I already have will be enough," Quistis tried, also for the hundredth time. The maid clucked her tongue, eyed Quistis' plain and faded dress that had been given to her to replace her old tattered clothing, and returned to her foraging.

"I do not think so, lady. It's a _royal_ wedding." Raina greatly emphasized the word royal, and for a moment a private smile smoothed her worn features lined by long years of manual work.

There was simply no defeating the woman. Quistis grappled for patience and watched the bustling maid taking out dress after dress, holding them up only to discard them again, her annoyance growing with each failure. She'd started grumbling about having better things to waste time on than this.

Quistis decided it might help if she showed a modicum of interest. She started half-heartedly shuffling through the silk and velvet and cotton fabrics. "Everyone seems really excited about the wedding," she stated rather obviously, aiming for a subject that would lighten the mood.

"Of course! They don't come too often, especially the likes of this one," Raina answered. She unfolded a deep blue silk dress, appraising its length, and for the first time she looked hopeful. "This might do. Arms up."

Quistis complied, and the maid tumbled the dress over her shift. It fell a little short, not quite brushing the top of her slippers. "What's so special about this wedding?" she asked, moving as directed as the maid pondered on the fit.

The woman looked at her from under her lashes as she knelt to make adjustments to the hem. A light shone in her eyes that had not been there before and a slow, tender smile crept over her features. "Why, because it's a well-suited marriage of love. Lord Tribal's value was recognized and he was allowed to wed the Queen despite his lineage." She shook her head and straightened, chuckling. It made her look suddenly much younger. "It's a happy union, and the people feel it. It makes them hope of a new age of peace and joy."

Raina's fine words touched something within Quistis that she'd never thought of uncovering. Melancholy grasped her, though she was still confused about its source. She decided not to dwell on it for now.

"I understood that there has been troubled times in the past?" She remembered something Vivi had talked about in the Black Mage Village's cemetery, about a queen that had gotten a little too greedy.

The maid's sudden tug on the loose waist of the dress was sharp. "Yes. But that's all over now. Lord Tribal will make a fine King, and together with Queen Garnet, they'll help put those dark times well behind us," she answered, her tone absolutely certain.

Seeing Raina's single-minded confidence in the outcome of the marriage, Quistis didn't have the heart to point out the many wrong turns even a happy union could take. Take what Vivi had told her for example; apparently it had looked like a happily ever after, until everything went wrong.

"I'm sure they will," she murmured, her words sounding insipid to her ears, yet it seemed it was the right thing to say. Raina's mood lifted somewhat.

"And that, lady, is why I will not let you go there in rags!" Her dreaded pincushion in hand, the maid bustled around her, adjusting as best she could the dress to her frame.

Quistis laughed. "I surrender to your good will, madam." She'd surrendered long ago. That woman could probably bully around anyone; even Riona and her good-natured stubbornness.

Thinking of Riona only underlined her absence, and it was obvious that Squall had played a hand in the matter. A great feeling of emptiness settled in the pit of Quistis' stomach at the thought of the girl waiting for news back in Garden, only to be told that the ship had crashed and that all communications had been lost. Squall and her might not have parted on good terms, but she knew the girl's heart. Not knowing exactly what had happened to Squall --if he was alive or not-- and not having been able to see him for the last time with a smile, would eat at her like poison.

Quistis shook her head. She missed Riona, but she refused to think in a way that suggested she'd never see her again. They'd find a way back, somehow.

"There!" Raina's voice broke into her thoughts. Quistis blinked at her, regaining her composure. The woman gave her such a studied look of casualness that Quistis knew she'd let her thoughts show on her face. "This will do. I'm sorry I couldn't find something more suitable, lady."

Turning her around towards a corner of the room, Raina let Quistis study her reflection in a tall mirror. She thought the result was much better than the maid let on. The dress was of a simple cut and fitted comfortably thanks to the maid's makeshift adjustments. The dress remained mostly unadorned, with the only extravagances consisting of the long sleeves opening up on layers of white lace and the touches of silver embroidery here and there.

"It's beautiful," Quistis said truthfully, though she could already tell what the disadvantages of wearing the dress would be. Her movements would be greatly limited. "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it, lady. Now if you'll excuse me," Raina trailed off and bustled out of the room before Quistis could say another word.

She looked around at the discarded dresses the maid had apparently forgotten in her haste. Sighing deeply, she started picking them up and placing them back as best she could in the chests and wardrobes. She was in no real hurry and actually welcomed the time to think.

Something was nagging at the back of her mind, something she resolutely ignored as she went about her quick cleaning up. Rather, she kept her mind on Riona and on their predicament. It looked hopeless, and the feeling of clawing despair was hard to fight, but a thought struck her then that made her forget the fabrics in her hands. So far, they'd only concentrated on the impossibility for them to go back. But what if someone else came?

It was likely that Laguna already knew about the severed communications. Procedures would be made to investigate the crash and rescue operations would be engaged. Quistis fingered the soft cotton draped over her arm, watching the intricate embroidered patterns without seeing them. She didn't dare hope too much. Many things could obliterate a rescue mission, not the least being the asteroid field. And time. Whatever happened, even the fastest operation would take a lot of time to organize and conduct. They couldn't just sit back and wait to be rescued, but at least a glimmer of hope remained.

Suddenly, the situation was not entirely hopeless. Quistis stuffed the rest of the dresses wherever she could fit them and marched out of the room, her mind swirling with possibilities, her heart lighter than it had been for the last few days. She had to talk about it to the others, if they hadn't already thought about it.

---

The size of the crowd was incredible. In the large inner courtyard of the castle, nobles and commoners pressed against each other, straining to see what was happening atop the large, marble stairs. The ceremony was taking place outside, under a beautiful blue sky, so that as much of the people as possible could witness it. The courtyard, however, was far from large enough to contain the entire Alexandrian population, especially with the roped-off space the higher nobles had been given at the front, but it was the best arrangement possible.

Quistis stood among the reverently silent crowd, close to the ropes. She couldn't hear what was being said, but at least she could see properly. The official was talking to the couple's bowed heads; there wasn't much to look at for now.

She'd managed to find the others despite the rush of activities and had been amused to see that they had also suffered the attentions of a righteous maid. She thought the clothes suited them all very well, even the too-tall Seifer. Judging by the looks on the men's faces, they didn't seem to share her opinion. Selphie stood just beside her, holding her arm to make sure the crowd wouldn't separate them inadvertently. She was very pretty in her green dress. Seeing how Irvine's eyes couldn't stay focused on the ceremony, Quistis was amused to see that she wasn't the only one who thought so.

An even deeper hush suddenly fell over the crowd. Quistis turned her attention on the marriage. The official was speaking the last words and placing the crown on Zidane's head –the marriage doubled as a coronation in his case. The crowd held its collective breath. The now King and Queen turned to the people, the official intoned his last declaration, and the crowd erupted in a deafening roar of applause and cheer.

Quistis clapped along, smiling broadly as Selphie jumped gleefully beside her. The happiness was so thick in the air, it was hard not to be infected. And yet, something prevented her from fully appreciating the moment.

The couple beamed with utter happiness, all pretences dropped as Zidane waved at the crowd and cheered along, Garnet laughing with good humour beside him, her cheeks dotted with red. Their hands were linked and didn't look like they'd let go any moment soon.

Quistis looked at the people around her. Squall was clapping dutifully, his expression sullen. Zell was cheering as much for the marriage as to annoy Seifer, who was, predictably, bristling with frustration beside him. She caught Selphie and Irvine sharing a soft, private look, a strong arm curling around a small waist, and realized they were the only one amongst them who could fully appreciated what was happening.

And then, with that thought, the feeling that had nagged her in the dressing room came back in force and she could ignore it no longer. A wave of nostalgia filled her, blocking out the cheering around her like a buzzing in her ears. Despite the hardships they had lived through, these people could stand here, their dark past put well behind them and their weapons discarded, so that the only thing that mattered anymore was to enjoy life and love.

It was something that, as mercenaries, she and the others had given up. They might have left the war behind, but not their weapons. It was their purpose, and as long as they followed that road, the unbridled happiness and carelessness that she was seeing all around her would be almost impossible to share.

Realizing that she was frowning, Quistis forced her features to relax. She didn't regret her choice, which was why she had been able to bury that sacrifice. She was from another world, another reality altogether, and had no cause to envy this one. As she resumed her clapping, she resolutely trampled over the gloominess that had settled over her. She clapped and cheered and made way with everyone else when the royal couple prepared for their ride through the city.

As mercenaries, they had the possibility to give other people this joy. It was compensation enough.

---

It was during the royal banquet, where they'd surprisingly been invited to the main table, that Squall's group learned they would be leaving for the north again soon.

"We'll go check your ship out, then see what we can do to help you," Zidane was explaining, gesturing with a golden goblet sloshing with wine. Seifer eyed the man's flushed features carefully. He certainly looked…_happy_, yet he didn't sound or acted half as inebriated as the quantity of wine he'd drunk suggested. It appeared the King knew how to hold his alcohol.

Beside him, the Queen was being more careful with her manners. She nodded more sedately. "We'll see if we can't salvage anything, and I will send one of my best engineers with you."

Squall asked a question, but Seifer wasn't listening anymore. He gestured for more wine. Though he doubted these people's usefulness in getting them back, he didn't think they might slit their throat in their sleep anymore. Still, he didn't believe them wholly innocent and good-willed either; he was pretty sure they had other reasons for this trip back up north. But it remained a good idea to go check out the ship. If not these small people, _they_ might actually find pieces of equipment that could be repaired.

Seifer downed his goblet. Wait a second there, what had Zidane said? "We were attacked last time and nearly lost the ship. I hope you're not flying anything so pathetic again," he broke in. He wasn't too worried about facing another one of those dragon creatures, but it would break his fun if the ship crashed under his feet. Again.

Zidane shook his head and shot him a wide, confident smile. "No chance of that happening, not with the Invincible. It'll be faster than anything out there, and it's fully armed. Don't compare it to some merchant's airship."

Really. It probably couldn't compare to the Ragnarok, Seifer mused. "I hope you're not putting too much faith in your ship."

The King's grin was toothy. "You'll just have to see."

So he would. Seifer returned his attention to his food, but just as he was about to introduce his potatoes to his fork, something kicked him under the table. Seifer delayed the meeting in favor of glaring at the irritant before him.

"Watch your overgrown feet, chickenwuss." He'd been seeing entirely too much of the kid lately. They were more often than not only chance encounters, but each one of those was one too many. Sure, he enjoyed annoying Zell, but even he had limits to his tolerance.

Zell pointed a silver knife at him. "What was that for? They're just trying to give us a hand!"

Seifer rolled his eyes, feeling familiar annoyance boiling up. "And what makes you think they don't have anything else in mind?"

"What makes you think they do?" Zell challenged right back. "They've haven't done a single suspicious thing against us!"

"That's no reason to trust them blindly. I thought you'd learned as much." A hint of a smirk touched his lips. Maybe he could salvage this conversation.

"I don't trust them blindly! I'm just not being paranoid," Zell replied defensively, gesturing widely with hands still holding sharp utensils. Maybe, with some luck, he'd poke someone's eye out and shut up. Then again, that would probably make him even louder.

"Paranoia can save your life," Seifer argued, pointedly setting down his fork. Maybe Zell would take the hint.

Zell threw his hands up –utensils included, missing Irvine's ear by an inch—and shot Seifer a profoundly exasperated look. That was rare. "No wonder you're always alone, man!"

His train of thought skittered to a stop. Seifer narrowed his eyes, his hands very still, as he spoke in a dangerously smooth voice. "What?"

Zell gave him one of the looks Seifer hated the most, one that seemed to accuse him of being thick on purpose, one that looked _down_ on him. He grated his teeth. Nobody gave him that look, much less Zell Dincht.

"You're always suspecting everybody and everything! Nobody's going to give you anything else, so you'll always end up isolated," Zell explained, sounding far too sure of what he was saying.

"Contrarily to some people, I don't feel the need to suck up to others to make friends," Seifer bit back, angry at how defensive he sounded. He was letting Zell, of all people, seriously rile him up. It was time to end this conversation. "And I don't remember it being any of your business." Seifer looked back down at his plate and started eating those damn potatoes, striving to look casual and unaffected.

"You're damn right. You and your charming personality can just have a wonderful life together."

Seifer nearly cracked a tooth on his silver fork when he bit a little too hard in his food. He nursed it with some wine, at the same time hoping it would help drown out that annoying little voice in the back of his mind constantly repeating Zell's words. That was the last thing he needed right now.

---

Pressing his hands against the thick glass of the bay window, Zidane excitedly pushed his face as close as he could, as if he wished to pass right through it. He thought he could just make out the scar of red that marked the wreck. From everything he'd heard, he couldn't wait to finally see it with his own eyes. Cid stood beside him, his flamboyant cloak tucked behind his belt, and he was obviously just as excited as Zidane. Garnet had talked to him and asked him to join the expedition as the official engineer, knowing full well that the man would be unable to refuse such an offer.

"Finally," Cid breathed. "This trip was too long, I'm itching to see this wonderful ship with my own eyes."

"It would've been longer with any other ship," the genome commented. What a merchant's ship did in eight hours, the Invincible could achieve in half that time.

"It doesn't matter. The wait would have been the same to me."

"It's a wreck, though, so don't expect too much," Zidane pointed out, but it didn't lessen his own excitement in the least. "I wonder how it could've compared to the Invincible?"

"The Invincible can't fly in space, but it can do other, just as impressive, things. It would have been a close race," Cid mused, reaching forward to finger the glass before him. The man was endlessly fascinated by the Invincible's craftsmanship and had used it many a time as inspiration for his latest creations.

"Yeah, but we don't know what else this one can do. Squall's as tight-lipped as a Tonberry over it," Zidane chuckled. The man's silence over the subject didn't really bother him. He'd studied these people during their stay in Alexandria, and he was truly starting to believe their story of a simple, unfortunate crash.

The shape of the wreck was becoming clearer by the second now, until the Invincible stopped right over it and Zidane could fully appraise the level of the damage. His jaw fell open and smacked against the floor.

Though the Invincible was hovering over the main body of the red ship, its remains spread a good distance away, all along the deep, angry trench its fall had gouged in the ground. Its carcass lay broken like a dismembered, grotesque animal with its guts spread around the body. Beside him, Cid was verbally aghast and outraged at the end this ship had met.

"What a shame, truly. I can't believe it," he muttered, shaking his head. "It's a miracle its main body is still intact!"

"What makes you say that?" Zidane asked, now more interested to see if any monster had laid claim to the wreck. It would do no good to land in a monster-infested trap. He still had Vivi's misgivings in mind.

"The track it made when it crashed. From its length and depth, I can say it touched the ground with incredible force." Cid tugged at his moustache, a deep frown settling on his brow as he thought and analysed. "I don't know many of our ships –except the Invincible, maybe—that would have survived such a crash so well."

Zidane whistled. "Imagine if we had whole fleets of Invincibles and that ship!" He was sure that they would be able to learn a lot from the wreck, no matter its condition. It wasn't completely obliterated, after all.

"Lindblum's skies would be a sight to see."

"Hey! They already are, leave some for us," Zidane laughed. It didn't look like there were any monsters down there. Though he was relieved, the genome found it strange that it had been left alone even after so long.

"Alexandria has much to be envied." Cid stepped back from the bay window with one last sad look at the wreck and turned towards Zidane. "Say, why didn't Garnet come? I'm sure she would've wanted to see this."

Zidane shrugged with one shoulder. "Both of us can't be gone from Alexandria anymore, at least not so soon. She volunteered to stay this time." His smile grew crooked. She'd been very clear that she wouldn't always be the one house-sitting while he had his fun.

"Very wise," Cid approved with a nod. "I'll go tell the captain to find somewhere to land." The older man made for the stairs that led to the overhead commanding platform just as Squall was coming down. The sight of the brown-haired young man stopped Cid in his tracks. "Wait!" he blurted out, though he was obviously standing Squall's way at the bottom of the stairs.

"What is it?" Squall asked, slightly taken aback, one eyebrow raised in question. Zidane had to admit that Cid's attitude was startling. He abandoned the window to come closer and hear what this was all about.

"How did you survive the crash? The impact force should've killed you!" Cid asked bluntly. Zidane was just as curious about the answer; he hadn't been able to find out either.

Squall simply shrugged, his every gesture dismissive. "We were lucky," was his simple answer.

But Cid would not be satisfied so easily. He shook his head, unconsciously tugging at his moustache. "It can't be just that. You wouldn't have all survived."

"Some of us didn't," Squall deadpanned, his face becoming perfectly blank, if a touch annoyed.

"Oh. My apologies, I didn't know," Cid apologized as his brows furrowed in wrinkly guilt and perplexity. He stepped aside to make way for Squall to pass. Zidane noticed with amusement that the younger man's words had not diminished Cid's curiosity in the least; the man was insatiable.

Nevertheless, Squall did not seem overly affected. He shrugged it off and walked by Cid and to the bay window, crossing his arms as he peered down at the remains of his ship. His expression was inscrutable.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you about that," Zidane told Cid with a slight wince. "He told me that four others didn't make it."

"It's such a sad story. They've lost comrades, and now they're—"

Cid didn't have time to finish his sentence as Squall's voice interrupted him sharply. "Zidane! What's that?"

The alarm in his voice was clear, and would not be ignored. The genome's expression hardened into concern as he jogged back to the window where Squall stood. "What's wrong?"

The younger man gestured to the horizon. "That. Do you know what it is?"

The object in question was hard to miss, actually. Zidane focused on it immediately and all the color drained from his face. His hands were on his daggers before he could think about it. "Yeah, I know what it is…" he answered numbly. "It's bad news, and all of our deaths if we don't _move the hell out of here!_" He'd yelled the last words as his shock finally evaporated to leave place to sheer, raw fear. He turned on his heels and bolted up the stairs.

What the hell was _it_ doing here?

At the commanding platform, he found Freya talking to a quickly-paling captain. He could tell by the loop in her whiskers that she knew what was going on. She eyed him sideways from under her hat. "I guess you already know what the trouble is," she said curtly.

Zidane nodded. "Yeah. Is this ship being turned around already?"

The captain swallowed audibly. "As fast as we can, but if the Invincible is fast going forward or backward, making it turn from a hovering position isn't." The captain eyed the quickly approaching threat. "If that thing keeps coming at this pace, it'll overcome us."

"I imagine we've found the source of Vivi's worry," Freya commented dryly.

Kicking the floor angrily, Zidane cursed under his breath. This was as bad is it could ever get. "But what is it doing here?"

"I don't know any more than you."

There was the sudden pressure of a hand on Zidane's shoulder. The genome whirled around and nearly put the butt of a dagger's hilt between Squall's eyes before he realized he was no threat.

"What's going on?" the young man asked curtly, utterly unaffected by Zidane's violent response. His eyes were blazing with a force and authority that the genome really did not want to antagonize right now. He exhaled shakily.

"That thing…that's Ozma," he started, peering over his shoulder at the side windows where the bouncy, multi-colored ball was moving steadily –and _too damn fast_-- closer. "It's the strongest monster you'll ever encounter; it'll swallow us up without even trying. Trust me, the only option we have right now is running away as fast as we can."

But Zidane knew that they wouldn't be fast enough. The ship was not turning quickly enough, and by the time they pushed it out of inertia, it would be too late. Ozma would be on them in a flash.

Squall's face was unreadable. His hand was on his blade, but it would be useless. "What can we do?"

"Take cover somehow and wish it'll pass us by," Zidane ground out. He'd confronted Ozma once, and the memory was etched so deep in his psyche that even his body recalled the pain of that faithful encounter. He did not take pleasure in reliving those moments.

By now, the ship had turned enough that Ozma was out of sight. It was no relief; Zidane could practically feel its strength and energy crackling in the air. The spacious front deck of the ship was now crowded with fighters; Amarant, Freya, Vivi, Eiko and Squall's team. All of these people were in danger, and Zidane was utterly helpless. He'd never felt so much hatred towards his own uselessness ever before.

Eiko did not help his feelings, though Zidane could have kissed her right now. The girl was running around, making use of her abilities by casting protect on as many people as possible. Before she'd even reached him, Zidane was surprised to feel the cool touch of magic on his skin. He looked around for the source and crossed Freya's eyes as the glow of magic faded from her skin.

"It's all I can do. Hopefully it'll help," she said blankly. She'd been one of those who had confronted Ozma that first time; she knew the true usefulness of Rei's Wind against that monster.

Zidane still forced himself to grin and look confident. "Thanks, both of you," he told Freya and Eiko as he felt both spell protect and support. The others echoed his words. "We owe you."

His last words were drowned by the first explosion that rocked the ship, coming from the back. After that, everything became a confusion of explosions and movement and screams as Ozma relentlessly racked through the ship. Zidane completely lost track of what was happening anybody or anything as he was tumbled around the deck like a ragged doll. He was only dimly aware of an ear-shattering blast of magic, and then of his feet leaving the floor as the ship plummeted nose-first towards the ground.

He did not even have time to register fear that another wave of destruction ran through the ship, splintering wood and metal alike as easily as one smashes an egg, and then his world went dark.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter 10  
_****Rating: PG  
Warnings: **Monster slaying. And dust.  
**Pairings: **Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome isn't named to avoid spoilers.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs still rule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Many-times rewritten chapter. The beginning gave me headaches, but I'm fairly satisfied with this version. I've also finally decided whether to capitalize magic, GF, abilities, races and such names. I know I've been hopping between yes and no all over the place, but I'll be slowly updating chapters to even it out. What you see in this chapter will be how it goes for the remainder of the story.

Zell wondered bleakly what sort of deity hated him so much to make him go through not one, but two shipwrecks in only a few days. Muttering to himself, he concentrated on keeping his legs moving, greatly appreciating the haste spell that made the scenery and the people running with him barely a blur.

Not that he had much of a choice with that big, multi-colored ball hovering over the wreck of the ship, searching for its enemies. Zell figured they only had Diablos' encounter-none ability to thank for having remained undetected so far, but he wouldn't push his luck. They'd discovered the hard way that very powerful monsters or enemies could sometimes find them anyways.

Still, he'd very much like to know where the hell they were running like this. Zidane was leading, surprisingly fast despite his shorter legs that should have put him at a disadvantage compared to, say, Seifer, but he hadn't spared a moment to explain where he was headed, if he even had a fixed destination. There hadn't been any time. It was run or die.

Behind them, there was the sound of an exploding magical surge of energy followed by an earth-shaking grind of metal. Zell picked up the pace with a cringe. Whatever the hell Ozma was, its destructive power reminded him of Ultima Weapon, and he didn't _like_ being reminded of Ultima Weapon. That had been one of the first time Zell had truly felt death breathing down his neck, as if he was already half dead, and he hadn't felt much for biting it in an abandoned research center, who-knows-how deep undersea.

He didn't feel much for dying on this planet either.

A growing cloud of dusty red dust was steadily enveloping their merry little troop and he wheezed, rubbing it from his eyes. With the speed of haste, they'd quickly moved from grassier to dustier ground, and they moved fast enough to produce quite the cloud, which would only make them more visible from overhead. Zell cursed again. Now he could barely even see four feet in front of his nose!

Still, he closed his mouth, squinted his eyes against the dust, and followed the blurry shapes before him, hoping that Ozma wouldn't notice them, that they'd manage to escape wherever Zidane had in mind.

Mountains had started to flank them on their right side, pinning them beside the sea on a narrow strip of dusty land, when Zidane slowed down, bringing them to a halt. Zell didn't know how long they'd run, but the haste had faded not too long ago and the wind burned in his lungs. Breathing heavily, he looked back over his shoulder. Beyond the slowly settling cloud of dust, Ozma had disappeared behind the horizon. Zell breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but couldn't help to wonder at the lack of a proper chase, no matter the Diablos' encounter-none.

"Doesn't look like it followed us," he exhaled, getting his breathing and heartbeat back under control.

Not too far, Squall nodded, but he wore his relentless scowl of confusion and expectation under the dust and sweat and exertion. "Apparently, but why didn't it? We were an easy target." His question was directed towards Zidane and his friends, who would know the monster better. Squall was the one currently junctioning Diablos, but he knew as well as anyone, if not better, that encounter-none was not infallible.

Zidane only shrugged. Under the layer of dust, his face was flushed from the mad run, but he still managed to look content enough. "Maybe it was only after the ship." His shoulders slumped and he turned towards that engineer, Cid. The older man was wheezing, hands on knees, his refined clothing covered by a fine mist of red dust. "I'm sorry, but it looks like we lost both ships now."

Cid straightened painfully, puffing like a bellows –obviously he wasn't made for long physical exertions- and looked towards where they'd left the crashed ships. His eyes were filled with a kind of pathetic sorrow and loss. He sighed deeply and turned back. "No matter, it is better to lose a ship than all ours lives. We must be grateful."

Zell didn't think he sounded all that grateful.

"Whatever it wanted, it's not after us, but we'd better find someplace to take cover before it changes its mind," Squall pointed out.

Some of Zidane's cheer returned at this. "Of course! And I know just the place. See, right over there, just before the mountain range?" The genome pointed towards the north-west. Zell scanned the dim stretch of land until he thought he could make out a prominent shadow that stood out against the mountain's background. "That's Fossil Roo," Zidane continued. "It's a long underground tunnel that runs all the way between this continent and the other, close to Lindblum. We can take cover there, and then cross it back to Alexandria."

Cid tugged at his moustache with a frown. "But that would take days!"

Zell could imagine that any tunnel connecting one continent to the other would take a whole lot of time to cross by foot. Still, he was mightily tired of being stranded and lost.

"Better that than staying here doing nothing until Ozma finds us," Zell said, and he self-consciously dusted the Ergheiz. "So are we moving, or what?"

Zidane nodded, his hands playing against the corded hilts of his strange daggers. "Let's go."

---

"I'm sorry, but I really can't go with you."

Zidane threw his hands up, obstinate. "Of course you can! And you have to! It's way too dangerous outside!"

Vivi shook his head. The dim interior of Fossil Roo threw the black mage's face in complete shadows.

"Maybe, but if I don't go back to the village, who will warn them of Ozma? Besides," he continued before Zidane could reply, "if I go, I'll be able to send a message to Alexandria so they know what happened."

Zidane studied his friend for a few long moments before smiling grimly. "I don't like it, but it makes sense. There's no stopping you, is there?"

Vivi nodded gravely. "I have to do it."

The genome sat back on his heels with a deep sigh of resignation. "I guess so. But at least wait until Freya and Eiko are back."

The girls had gone off a little ways deeper in the cavern in search of the small pond of clear, safe water just before the entrance. If they had any wish to survive this trek, they'd need provisions of water. They'd managed to grab a few meager rations on the run out of the Invincible, but they wouldn't be enough by themselves.

Leaning against the wall in companionable silence, Zidane stared upwards at the shadowed ceiling of the cave, not really seeing anything in its shadows. Now that he could safely assume that they had escaped Ozma unscathed, his thoughts were turning back to Dagger. She'd be worrying about them, and would worry even more when Vivi sent his news. Zidane felt a sudden longing to see her, to hold her and not care whoever looked, because now nobody could do a damn thing about it.

"Dagger is going to kill me," he mused aloud with a small smile, startling Vivi.

The mage looked at him silently for a moment. "I don't think so."

Zidane lifted an eyebrow. "No? Alright, maybe not kill, but she's going to be angry I made her worry like that," he amended with a quiet laugh.

Vivi echoed his laughter with a shake of his head that made the top of his hat bob. "Maybe, but I really just think she'll be happy to see you safe."

The mention of safety burst Zidane's tiny, growing bubble of happiness and nostalgia quickly enough. He sobered and let his hand stray to the comforting weight of one of the Ultima Weapon's separated daggers.

"I don't know about that. Don't you think there's something off about Fossil Roo compared to the last time we were in here?" Zidane looked around carefully, studying the rock. It looked normal enough, but he couldn't help feeling something off about the whole place.

The black mage played with his hat and scrutinized the surroundings. "Fossil Roo's never been really safe, but I think I understand what you mean. The air isn't the same," he finally answered.

"That's it!" Zidane exclaimed, and now that it had been identified, it was easier to analyze what he felt about Fossil Roo. The air was heavier even than before, more humid and heavy and it had traces of a stink that was oddly familiar, but that Zidane couldn't identify. A thought suddenly crossed his mind and he jumped up in alarm. "Damn it, it could be bad air! We have to get out of here!"

Before he could move to urge everyone back outside, Amarant stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against and blocked his way.

"It's too late now," he rumbled almost nonchalantly. "And if we leave, what do you plan on doing instead?" Amarant continued, staring at Zidane from under his wild mane of hair. His eyes were sharp and unforgiving, making him feel almost like a fool.

"I don't know, but it's better than just dying in here if the air's poison," Zidane retorted. Their small altercation was starting to draw the others' attention.

Amarant uncrossed his arms. "We don't know about that. You would risk Ozma instead? Any of the few ships passing around here we could board are going to meet with it. What to do then?"

Zidane hissed a frustrated breath. Amarant made sense, but he still didn't trust Fossil Roo. They were caught in a nasty situation. Risk death through air poisoning, or risk death through Ozma. Both were such equally charming situations.

"Whatever you decide to do, you should go look for Freya and Eiko first. They've been gone a long time," Amarant continued impassively, leaning back on his heels, waiting.

Stung by the reminder, Zidane could only blink once or twice before reacting. He didn't exactly like having to be reminded such important little details, but he'd rather that than forgetting about it until it was too late. Idiot! He was being such an idiot, forgetting about Freya and Eiko, so wrapped up had he been about Dagger!

"Come with me. There might be trouble," he said and promptly spun on his heels, jogging deeper within Fossil Roo. Amarant's muted, heavy footsteps followed him, preceding most of the others'.

The tunnel quickly fell into heavy darkness once the entrance had been blocked around a curve in the rock; Zidane couldn't remember it being quite so dark during his last crossing. The air grew stuffier, but otherwise not any worse. It was a poor relief. A few moments later, Zidane heard water splashing under his boots and he stopped, frowning deeply. The water was supposed to be farther in the tunnel.

"We need more light," he said quietly, somehow afraid of raising his voice. Before him, he could just make out a wide blackness thicker than the shadows; calmer. It was that small pond he remembered, but it was bigger than he recalled. Over it hung a still atmosphere of foreboding he did not like one bit.

Something flared behind him, and Vivi moved forward, his staff glowing faintly from a small, cold flame. It cast dim, dancing shadows on the vine-covered walls, grotesquely highlighting the pointy-nosed masks that had spouted gouts of water in one last puzzling obstacle before the final switch, back when he'd first crossed Fossil Roo.

"Over there!" someone whispered loudly, and Zidane drew his eyes back down from the wall to scan the surroundings. He quickly spotted the subject in question; two forms were laid out on a thin ridge just above the water, one tall and one small.

What the hell were they doing there?

"Freya! Eiko!" Zidane called, but his instincts already told him that something was wrong with the girls; they were perfectly still, probably unconscious. Was it air poisoning after all? But he didn't feel any worse for breathing it all this time! "They're out cold!" he cursed before hurrying forward, sloughing through the water until he was knee-deep in it, intent on getting to them.

"Watch out!"

A bright flash of red light blew scorching hot air against his cheeks. Zidane staggered backwards, flailing for his balance, and drew his daggers. With a few quick practiced twists of the wrists, he had the full Ultima Weapon assembled, its pale blades shining dully even in the near-complete darkness.

"What is it?" he yelled, stepping backwards slowly, carefully, head swiveling to try and find the source of the fire spell. The remains of the light still sparkled in his eyes, and it had momentarily ruined his night vision; he'd be almost blinded until he grew accustomed to the darkness once again.

"In front of you!" another voice warned, but Zidane could see squat. Vivi's staff had been extinguished. He raised his weapon defensively, his heart so loud in his ears it deafened him.

"What's it doing now?" he blinked his eyes rapidly, but just as he was starting to make out the line of the water from the wall once more, he heard a gurgle that sounded disturbingly like laughter, a splash, and then a powerful pull rocked him from his feet and sent him sprawling back on the hard tunnel floor.

There was the sound of metal against metal, and then Vivi was beside him, blocking the passageway, his staff lighted once again and feebly illuminating the scene in the shallow parts of the water.

Zidane realized belatedly that it was Amarant who'd pulled him back out of harm's way –but if Zidane knew the man at all, it'd be more like he'd pushed him out of his way so he could go and fight-, and jumped to confront the monster, seeing the threat for what it was. The sound of clashing steel came from the man's claws skidding against the thick, oily scales covering the sinuous monster's body.

"Did you cast that spell?" Zidane asked Vivi, jumping back on his feet.

The mage nodded, his stance battle-ready and solid as a rock. "I could probably finish this off quickly if Amarant got out of the water," he said grimly, bright yellow eyes following every movement, waiting for any opportunity that would allow him to cast a spell.

"Leave that to me!" Zidane ran back in the water, and a small panicked voice warned him of possible other monsters hiding in the water, but he roughly ignored it. Battle frenzy thrummed in his veins. Now that he could see better, there was no way he'd just stand back and wait for the outcome of the fight.

He'd barely come close, with water up to his thighs, when something hooked Zidane behind the foot and tripped him. He yelped, but managed to keep his balance. So the thing had longer limbs underwater, didn't it? Nice to know. The genome kept moving until he had water to his waist and was within striking range. He parried one wild blow, then slashed at the monster. He felt his blade connect and cut through the scales with a horrible screeching sound like metal grinding through metal, and he was sure that the cut was shallow. What kind of defense did the thing have to be able to withstand the Ultima's blade?

The fight continued unabated for a few moments, with generous amounts of underwater tripping and narrow dodges, until one of Amarant's claws skidded over the beast's long, flat maw and caught it's eye from underneath, missing the globe by a hair's breath but managing to slice through the inner eyelid. The monster threw its head back with an angry gurgle, seeming to insult them, and sprang backwards to disappear under the deeper center of the pond, undoubtedly gathering for a counterattack. The injury hadn't been serious enough to warrant an abandon.

"Quick! On the ridge, now, Vivi's going to try something!" Zidane yelled, pointing to where Freya and Eiko still lay motionless. It wasn't too high; he swung himself up easily. Amarant was quick to follow in one powerful jump that left him crouching like a cat on a windowsill, ready to pounce right back.

No sooner had they fled the water that the monster's flat, elongated head pierced the water, regarding them with open malice, gurgling malevolently. Its eye was closed and black drops of liquid fell splashing in the water. It rose, revealing clearly a long, flexible neck. It was all Vivi needed. A brighter flash than before, crackling and deafening, filled the cavern with the stinging energy of thunder. Zidane was thrown back on his rump as he covered his tightly-shut eyes with his arms, and for a few seconds all he could hear was a high-pitched ringing in his ears.

After all the battles Vivi and Zidane had gone through together, Zidane could safely say he was accustomed to the impressive nature of the mage's spells. Before he'd even reopened his eyes, Zidane was back on his feet, peering down in the dim aftermath of the thunder spell to see if it had been effective.

The monster was only a charred, black body half-floating in the water, smoke rising from its stiff limbs. With the added potency of the water to carry electricity, the direct hit had been all it took to kill the monster. Zidane returned the Ultima Weapon to its' two daggers form and holstered them. He turned to Amarant.

"We have to bring the girls back down near Vivi's light. We'll be able to see what's wrong with them better," he said and bent beside Eiko's smaller form. She lay on her stomach, and although he couldn't see her well, he could tell that she was breathing shallowly. He gently hefted her in his arms and hopped back down in the water as smoothly as he could, Amarant following closely with Freya.

Zidane had everyone move back up the path until they were just at the bend in the tunnel, far enough away from the water, but still within sight of it so they wouldn't be caught by surprise. Irvine, so far silent, proposed to stand guard at the water's edge.

With Vivi beside him to provide some complimentary light to the steadily dimming evening glow pouring from the cavern mouth farther away, Zidane knelt beside Eiko and studied her pale features for a sign of what was wrong. She seemed to be sleeping, but if it was only a spell, the jostling ride down the ridge should have broken it easily. Across from him, Quistis was bent over Freya, checking her vital signs with a perplexed frown.

"I'm not a professional medic and I'd never seen her kind before, so it's hard for me to say exactly what's wrong." The woman paused, biting her bottom lip in concentration.

"Do you have any idea?" Zidane wasn't as versed in healing as he knew he should be, especially considering his fighting experience, so he was glad and a little ashamed to have Quistis there to take up the slack. Despite what she'd said, she had the precise movements and sharp eye of someone who'd been around enough sick and wounded to know what she was doing.

"It's too peaceful to be a complete poisoning of some form, but her pulse is rapid and weak, and her breathing's erratic and too shallow to be anything as simple as a sleep spell." The blond woman put a hand on Freya's arm. "She's too warm for zombie, curse or petrify, and her body shows no sign of changing." Quistis' frown deepened in frustration. "It looks like she's been knocked out, but it can't be just that."

Zidane didn't know what the 'curse' affliction was, but he understood the rest well enough. He ran a hand through his hair, looking down at pale-skinned Eiko and being immensely frustrated with himself for not being able to know what was going on. "It's nothing I know either. Could be a heat of freeze case, but they're not nearly warm or cold enough for it."

The cave fell in tense, thoughtful silence. There was a whispered comment here and there, a cursory study of the unconscious girls to see if anything had been missed, but no enlightening discoveries were made. After a few moments, Selphie moved forward. Zidane had almost forgotten about her.

"Can I try something?" she asked, and although the question was for Zidane, her eyes flitted towards Squall, who stood brooding in a corner. His frown deepened, but he didn't say anything.

"If you think it can help, sure," Zidane assured her, looking at the both of them curiously.

"If anything can, it will!" she claimed proudly, and once again she looked back at Squall's steadily disapproving stare. Still he did not speak.

Quistis stood up and took a step away from Freya, calmly meeting her leader's sharp eyes. "Go right ahead, Selphie. We must use anything we have to help Eiko and Freya," she declared firmly, still looking right at Squall.

Now Zidane was more than just a little curious. There was a moment of uneasy tension during which he could practically see the unspoken messages passing back and forth between them. Finally Squall let his eyes slide down and shrugged.

"Alright!" Selphie cheered and she let herself fall to her knees beside Freya. "Let's see if this works."

Zidane watched just as intently as everyone else as the young woman raised her hands over Freya's body and narrowed her eyes in concentration. There was the distinct gathering of magical energy, and although Zidane had been around magic often enough to last him a lifetime, this one felt wholly alien and so unfamiliar it sent apprehensive chills up his spine. A second later the accumulated energy was released in a rainbow halo of light that surrounded Freya, casting her still features in shifting, multicolored hues that _popped_ and dissipated not long afterwards with a sound like thousands of miniatures bells.

With a speed that bellied a certain nervousness, Selphie hopped to Eiko before anyone could say anything and repeated the procedures on the horned girl. By the time she was done, Freya was already stirring back to wakefulness.

"Phew!" Selphie breathed with relief. "What a drainer. But it looks like it worked," she nodded with a relieved smile.

Freya and Eiko awoke and sat up, looking around confusedly. "What happened?" Eiko asked first, looking around at the circle of expectant faces.

"You got hit with something nasty and fell unconscious, but we took care of it!" Selphie provided helpfully, helping Eiko to find her unsteady balance. "How do you feel?"

"Alright, I guess," Eiko answered after some consideration. She mostly looked puzzled. "I can't remember anything."

"We found a monster prowling around. Large and scaly. Does it ring a bell?" Zidane added.

Eiko thought for a moment. "No. I don't even remember being attacked. How about you, Freya?"

The Burmecian was testing her limbs carefully, looking for bruises. She shook her head. "I don't recall anything either." She looked up at Selphie with a grateful upwards twitch of her whiskers. "You healed us, didn't you?"

"Yep!"

"How?"

Zidane looked across at Selphie. He was surprised, and of course he was grateful for her unexpected help, but he would have liked knowing beforehand that her and her friends could do magic. This wasn't really the time for surprises.

"Yeah, what did happen?" he repeated.

Selphie laughed nervously, looking awkward with the question. "It's called Treatment. It's an ability that can cure any negative status effect. It sure drains a lot, but it's useful," she explained.

"Is it a spell? It felt like it, but it's nothing I've ever seen before," Vivi asked in turn.

Before Selphie could answer, Squall stepped up, looking utterly unhappy with the development. "It's not really a spell. It's magic-based, but it's only a guardian force ability that we can borrow."

Zidane blinked, then blinked again. Beside him, Eiko was making sure they knew she was confused. The genome figured he was in no better state of comprehension. "Guardian force?"

Squall nodded. "They're entities we know well on our planet. In short, they're creatures with strong power we can call upon to help us in battle. We "host" them within our bodies, and in exchange we can use their abilities, like Treatment," he explained slowly, carefully.

He was testing the territory, checking on their reactions. It certainly sounded extraordinary enough, and Zidane could see that Squall would have preferred never to have to reveal this bit of information. He wasn't sure he liked how instinctively secretive the man was about everything, how he seemed to approach everything like a man on a perilous undercover mission. Like following a military protocol, Zidane thought suddenly, and what else could he expect, after all? Squall _had_ explained to him that they came from a sort of well-meaning mercenary organization. Though Garden was a mighty strange word for it, he mused with wry amusement.

"It's not magic, not really, but the trick of a guardian force that Selphie can borrow," Squall finished.

Stunned silence followed those few words. Eiko was speechless for a moment. "You're summoners?" she managed to utter, her voice mixed with a complex set of emotions.

This time it was Quistis who answered. "No. At least not a summoner like you understand it, I think. Anybody can call on a guardian force, so long as they have it junctionned – what we call hosting them in our bodies, and we can exchange the guardians between us at will—and anyone can then use its abilities and profit from the enhancements it grants."

Zidane scratched his neck, his head buzzing with information. He was rudely reminded of how many things he still ignored about these people, but he tried not to be overwhelmed or alarmed. They came from another planet; anything could be possible, and it didn't mean they were suddenly hostile.

"That's the trick you used during the battle against the dragon," Vivi suddenly said, looking at Selphie. She nodded. "But why didn't you call one of your guardian forces then?"

Quistis sighed, her mouth pressed in a thin line of discomfort. "We tried, but we can't. For some reason, since we've crashed here we've been unable to summon guardian forces. We can still use their abilities, but we don't understand why we can't call them forth."

Zidane jumped up. "Well, that's enough information for today! It's too much to think about right now," he declared. He pointed at the darkening tunnel over his shoulder. "We've got other things to worry about. We can always think and talk as we go."

Freya stood up, smoothly brushing dust from her coat and returning her spear to its leather straps at her back. "Zidane is right. And we still need to gather some water; we did find a fresh water inlet that flows to join the pond, since that one is no longer safe. The monster must have attacked and done whatever it did to knock us out while we had our backs to the pond and were studying the inlet to see if it was good to drink."

The genome nodded. "We'll go get some, all of us. Then we move." He looked at Vivi and smiled painfully. He hadn't forgotten the black mage's momentarily delayed resolution. "Can you come with us just until we reach the first of the torches the miners tend? We'll need your light till then."

The black mage was unusually solemn, obviously worried sick for his comrades back at the village. "Of course."

Zidane looked at the hostile tunnel and pond. Somehow, he knew they were in for one rough ride.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 11_**  
**Rating: **PG-13 for this chapter  
**Warnings: **Monster violence.  
**Pairings: **Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome isn't named to avoid spoilers.

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. Theonly thingthey can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **Seifer-centric. A lot.

Seifer looked down at his feet, creeping forward slowly and carefully on the slippery surface of the vine-like plants that had so far provided them with a dry path through the stinky place. The footing was treacherous enough, but he couldn't even see clearly from the light thrown by the torch bobbing in Amarant's hand, right before him. And how that man managed not to set his hair on fire, he'd never know.

At that moment, Seifer simply hated this damn place.

Many things had changed, according to Zidane and his friends. The Fossil Roo was half flooded, which was why their going was so slow and painful; many times they'd come to caves where the only option was swimming in dark, dank and foul water brimming with monsters. They'd had to backtrack often, losing precious time as they searched for other ways to pass. The flooding had also chased away the miners, as was obvious by the long untended torches nearly rotting in the brackets high enough to have escaped the water. Zidane was still remaining desperately hopeful that –what had he called them?—gargants, or whatever they were, were still living in the higher shadows of the tunnels. Seifer thought bleakly that it was a very strenuous hope.

Down below, a rippling movement caught Seifer's eye. A small, round monster poked its head out of the water, faintly illuminated by the light rocks that peppered the cavern and allowed a minimal addition of light to their guttering torches. The monster pursed its thin snout, and with a great intake of breath that made its already round body inflate to almost twice its size, it began _tootling_.

Seifer sneered down at the thing, wishing his magic wasn't scrapped so he could fry the tootling bastard out of the water. They'd started encountering the annoying things their first day in Fossil Roo, and so far they'd hardly had an hour's respite from the monsters' flute-like piping. It was slowly driving Seifer mad, and the only thing that had stopped him from using Devour yet was the fact that they were actually edible, and that although the monsters were deceptively fast, once captured, they could flesh out their pathetic rations nicely. Not that they tasted all that good –the meat was rubbery and slimy—but at least it was something.

Seifer's boot slipped and he cursed silently as he regained his balance. It was no time to be worrying about tootling monsters; the vine was growing thinner and more treacherous as it reached up near a high ledge around the wall.

Once upon the relative safety of the rock, Zidane called a break. Seifer leaned back against the rough stone, testing the aches in his limbs to try and count how many days they could have passed in here. It was almost impossible to tell without the sun as reference. They stopped when they were too weary to put a foot before the other, and started after everyone had slept more or less enough. If those cycles could be called days, then they'd already been three days in Fossil Roo, and Zidane's accounts of the place were not encouraging.

Below them, a second monster had joined its piping to the first in an eerie, infuriating high-pitched melody. Seifer sat down and stretched his legs before taking one of the small potion vials that had been converted into fresh water containers. They were precious few of those, and they hadn't been able to found another fresh source to replenish the empty bags and bottles since the first day. Seifer downed it in two swallows, but it wasn't nearly enough to ease the dryness in his throat. It would have to do, though. His stomach grumbled, angry for more hearty sustenance. Seifer leaned forward in a squat until he could see beyond the lip of the ledge. The monsters were still there, vague shadows in the darker water. He was suddenly grateful for their presence. Although he'd gone on poorer fare –if any at all—for longer periods of time and still survived and managed to fight, it didn't mean Seifer liked those kind of predicaments. The ledge was too high from the water, but now he couldn't wait until they'd be low enough to be able to kill one of them.

Much later after they'd resumed their thankless trekking, they saw their first gargant. It floated on its back in the flooded Fossil Roo, body bloated and grey from the beginning of putrefaction, its legs curled against its swollen belly. Seifer stopped a few moments, looking at the corpse with a small frown, and for some reason he could not fathom the sight of the dead body sent a shiver of discomfort up his spine. He didn't linger long after that and kept his questions for later.

---

They called it a day when they found the small remains of one of the now-deserted miners' camps. The rocky path rose only five feet out of the water, but it was wide and hugged the wall, so they set coats and cloaks as far away from the water as they could and built the small fires made from gathered deadwood between themselves and the still, menacing shadow of the water. There were no tootling monsters here, but Seifer could hear the echoes of their suddenly many-voiced music from a tunnel or two away. Pity they weren't here for the catching.

Squatting before a pathetic fire that provided little warmth, but at least some light, with the chickenwuss and Amarant, Seifer took out another potion vial and considered the now precious water it contained. It glowed a faint red against the fire.

"I have another day's soldier rations of these. We'd better find a new spring soon," he commented dryly, and surprised himself with the touch of carelessness in his tone. He would only last a day or two without water at this pace, yet there was a cold emptiness in the pit of his stomach that didn't care what happened. Would it be so bad to die in here? After the glory of the possible death he could have had while fighting for the sorceress, it seemed oddly wrong. Seifer shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Amarant, his eyes hooded by his hair and the casting shadows of the fire, nodded and looked to one side, then the other, slowly. "With all the backtracking we have done, we are barely at the middle of Fossil Roo. With the gargants gone, it will take even longer to cross."

Not quite subdued by the last few days, but obviously tired, Zell only grimaced at Amarant's words. Seifer looked at the martial arts master's face, the exhausted yet damnably stubborn set of his jaw, and figured he must be much more tired than he'd thought; because of the flickering firelight, Seifer thought that Zell's intricate tattoo was dancing and slithering across his temples. It was strangely hypnotizing.

"Hey, Seifer, what're you staring for?"

Seifer blinked and realized with surprise that he _had_ been staring, mindlessly watching Zell's tattoo alive on his cheek. He hooded his eyes and kept the surprise out of his face, then drank that stupid vial he still held in a loose-jointed fist to avoid answering.

He really must be tired to be staring at the chickenwuss, of all people. Still, in this light, his tattoo had an eerie quality Seifer had never noticed before. Not that he was going to grace Zell with the compliment any time soon.

"How can you be so sure the gargants are all gone?" Seifer asked Amarant, gracefully ignoring the peeved look Zell sent his way and forcing the tattoo from his thoughts as well. "Just because one's dead doesn't mean they all are."

The red-haired man rolled one shoulder dismissively. Not much could faze him, Seifer had discovered. "Gargants hate water. They're not only dead. They're gone."

Seifer was tired, but he still took Hyperion from where it lay by his knee and placed the naked blade across his lap, studying its few scratches and notches. The blade was tough, but Seifer nonetheless took out the whetstone he'd gotten at that Alexandrian shop and started working on its edge. The action was soothing, if nothing else.

"Maybe gargant meat is edible," Zell mused aloud, and Seifer was glad to see that his comment elicited an equally startled and bothered look from Amarant.

"The corpse was rotten."

"I know that!" Zell replied, cheeks reddening. Seifer snorted audibly and was pleased to see them reddening even more. "I mean, if we find one that's, you know…fresh, or almost dead or something, maybe we could eat it? If they're useless and all, then what's wrong with eating something else than that rubbery monster for a change?" he hastily explained.

Although the chickenwuss' logic was sound enough, Seifer was still bothered by the idea. He couldn't bring himself to see those giant insects as _food_. No more than he could chocobos, in fact, so maybe it was the similarity as steeds that made the idea of eating them disturbing?

He rose one eyebrow contemptuously. "That's the dumbest thing I've heard today. If there are any left, I'd prefer riding them out of here," he said and looked back down at his sword as he worked the whetstone along its edge.

"How? Everything's flooded!"

Seifer rolled his eyes but did not look up. He was too tired for this. "And what do you think we've been walking on half the time? Not all the vines are flooded, so maybe there will be a few gargants left." He didn't believe a word he said, but it didn't matter. Seifer just wanted to end this.

Across the fire, Zell huffed. "Sure, you say that now, but I remember you telling everyone how you didn't think anything could live in here anymore. Except monsters. You're still full of shit, Almasy, but you're losing your touch."

This time Seifer did look up, glaring hotly. "Now would be a good time to shut up."

To his surprise and mounting anger, Zell grinned. "Sure I will."

And he did shut up, looking way too smug about it. Seifer hissed a breath and forced himself to ignore Zell. Since when did he let himself be bothered by the chickenwuss? Since when could he even achieve such a feat? He looked at Amarant, but the man looked as unconcerned as could be.

Seifer continued sharpening his sword long enough that it didn't look like he was running and skulking, then put the whetstone away and rose without a word. He was hungry as hell, but the thought of the salted meat and dried fish that composed their sole menu helped tremendously to cut his appetite. He spread his coat not so far that he couldn't feel the fire's dim warmth and rolled himself in it.

That cold ball of carelessness he'd wondered at before spread, and he fell asleep thinking that he really hated this planet.

---

They did find a fresh water source at the end of the following day. It was only a small, trickling inlet that lost itself in the vaster, oily sheen of the flood water, but it was enough to refill their empty containers and assure them another few days' safe journeying. They fell asleep with a lighter heart and a satiated thirst, but they were still aware of all the other possible dangers that awaited them.

Squatting by the still water that framed the dusty stretch of stone and dirt on which they had currently established camp, the warmth of a fire against his back, Seifer took a small pebble and flicked it in the water. It caught one of the fluting monsters' head, but it barely reacted as it concentrated on its unnerving song.

Seifer counted the heads one more time; he was sure there were more than an hour before. He kept Hyperion in his fist. He didn't like how they had multiplied during their travelling, how it had become twenty tootling monsters that harried them with their music instead of one or two. Besides, it was making his head buzz.

The worst was certainly their incredible stillness. Aside from when they halted their music to take in one large, gulping breath, the monsters did not move. They were still, glistening shadows that bobbed in the water, unconcerned by the humans that had killed and eaten a few of their comrades. Still, their numbers now demanded a watch at all times. Not that Seifer could have slept with all that ruckus anyways, and he also welcomed the solitude. It had been some time since he could just sit down and feel truly alone with himself and his thoughts. The others' sleeping noises didn't count. In fact, he reflected suddenly, he hadn't felt quite this way since he'd established himself in Fisherman's Horizon. Solitude had been unnerving there, full of brooding thoughts and plans of escape. Here, with the monsters demanding he keep on edge and alert –though of course Tonberry King's initiative would prevent any nasty surprises—he couldn't brood. He could just sit and watch and appreciate the feeling of lurking danger and action thrumming in his veins.

_I'm not made for peace. _

It might be a dismal thought for many, depressing and bleak, but he didn't mind. Seifer tossed another pebble at the unconcerned monsters. Some people weren't made for war and combat, but he thrived in it. Not that he would like living through another war, or become a sorceress' knight all over again, but he could no sooner settle down and become a fisherman or something. The monsters' bulbous eyes reflected the little light from the company's fires, dozens of tiny, malevolent pinpricks watching him, waiting.

Seifer could face those eyes on a day-to-day basis and remain who he was.

As he reflected why that was, Zell's words came back to him, the fighter's warning of sorts at Zidane and Garnet's marriage banquet, his jab the other night. How could he have let those openings for Zell to hit? Maybe he was growing soft after all. Seifer gripped Hyperion's hilt tighter and felt the strength in his arm, saw the sinews in stark relief against his skin. It couldn't be that simple.

_It's this place and these people. They're just making me edgy._

Oddly unsatisfied with the explanation but unwilling to pursue the subject, Seifer resolutely put those thoughts aside for the moment, concentrating on the monsters' strange tootling to help drive them away. The normally high-pitched music had dropped a tone or two, he realized, and was less annoying than before. He leaned forward slightly and cocked his head, paying it more attention. How come they'd never sung so well before…? The lower tones were soothing compared to the higher ones from before. Seifer could feel them in his bones. His eyes drooped. He would be able to really fall asleep, now. This music, it would let him sleep a deep and dreamless sleep he had been lacking lately. Seifer felt himself swaying, knew in the back of his mind that it was dangerous, that he could not let himself surrender, but he couldn't stop himself. His mind was too foggy.

Somewhere behind him, someone called his name. Seifer shook his head slowly, trying to concentrate on that new but intruding voice, but he couldn't clear his head. The monsters' music was everywhere, and soon he couldn't hear that other voice at all and his eyes closed of their own volition.

I shouldn't fall asleep. I can't. Have to… 

There was a brief mental struggle during which Seifer regained parts of his wits, but the music seemed to increase in depth and the mounting panic and realization of danger were crushed before they could be acted upon. Seifer felt the darkness behind his closed eyelids sweep through him so that all of his senses were plunged into insensibility, and he toppled forward.

---

The darkness was tangible. Seifer looked around himself, and he could see it swirl and shift languidly before his eyes, a blackness so thick it was alive. He looked down but could not see the rest of his body, nor the hands he held before his eyes. He thought he should panic, but he couldn't feel anything but a sort of hollow resignation. The air was warm and fetid, but that didn't bother him, either.

As Seifer peered around with a touch of curiosity, he began to make out a soft padding sound, moving closer and coming from before him. He squinted, trying uselessly to peer through the black murk, but it wasn't until the source sounded right by him that he saw it. The darkness suddenly shifted to the sides, as if violently repulsed, and with an increase of temperature a large mastiff was revealed, sitting regally on its hunches. It turned a dog-grin up at Seifer.

"_You're weak."_

Pinpricks of his character were slowly reassembling themselves; he mustered enough contempt to raise an eyebrow he was not even sure truly existed.

"Who are you?"

There was a short bark that sounded like a dog-laugh, but it came from the right. Seifer turned to see another mastiff, identical to the first, hackles raised in definite amusement.

"Don't even recognize me in your own head? 

Now Seifer frowned, more confused than anything. "My head? What are you talking about?"

"_We are in your mind." _Seifer turned to the suddenly reasonable and wise-sounding voice to his left. He was not surprised to find a third mastiff sitting there, an exact copy of the other two. _"Or rather, the part you granted me."_

Something was gnawing at him. A spark of recognition tickled the back of his consciousness, but Seifer wasn't whole enough yet to be able to understand it. He was starting to feel angry, but he was also puzzled, if in a growingly annoyed way.

"What do you mean, weak?" Bits and pieces were coming back to him, flickering images of what he guessed were memories and voices he knew he should recognize.

The first dog grinned wider; it looked more feral than amused. _"You let yourself be caught like a moth flies to a flame. You barely even fought back."_

At those words, Seifer suddenly remembered music. It gradually filled the black space, slow and syrupy and distorted, but growing clearer. The mastiff's dog-grin dissolved into an unpleasant baring of fangs, and soon the music faded once again and there was silence.

"_See? Weak,"_ the dog snorted contemptuously. He wasn't amused anymore.

"I know that music," Seifer mused, and for some reason he yearned to have it back. What did it mean?

"_Stop that," _the dog to the right ordered sharply.

"Stop what?" Seifer asked, but the mastiff would not answer, simply glowering at him.

"_I can keep it out a while, but I can't protect you forever if you want it in,"_ the dog to the left answered, voice low and very serious. _"Not in your own head."_

There was an uneasy silence during which Seifer was mostly confused, but he thought he was beginning to understand what was going on. The music was familiar, yes, but as he slowly recollected the pieces that composed himself, it became fearful as well.

He was growing familiarly tired of asking questions, but he did so anyways. "What do you mean, protect me? And who are you already?"

The left-hand dog looked around slowly, seeming to see much beyond the shifting blackness. _"I brought you here to save you. Your mind was being dismantled like a toy, but they can't reach you here, not in my domain."_

The first dog huffed. _"Sad, isn't it? I'm stuck with you so I have no choice but to save you, otherwise I'm going down as well. You're lucky I'm here."_

Recognition was very strong now, so much that it felt like he could touch it, but not grasp it. He frowned deeply, forcing himself to think and remember.

"_He can't stay here," _the right-hand dog barked warningly.

The left-hand mastiff nodded its large head. _"No. But he can't leave yet, it'll kill him just as well."_

The first mastiff growled low in its throat and snapped its fangs up at Seifer. _"Come on, human, hurry up."_

Hurry for what, Seifer had no clue, but the dogs' way of speaking was what finally sparked a name in Seifer's memories; how they spoke as if they were all the same animal with the same intentions. It came back all in a rush of images and sounds and feelings, blurry and confusing in their order, but once they had settled they made sense. They were Seifer, and the man now knew himself, felt himself strong and whole, and he remembered everything. He understood where he was, who he was facing, and what had happened.

"Cerberus. How gracious of you to have welcomed me here, in my own head," he said, a wide grin slowly making its way across his lips.

The first mastiff snorted. _"Don't get cocky, human. Just get out of here."_

Seifer looked around at the swirling darkness and saw it for what it was. The GF's domain lacked taste. "I will. I don't think this place's too healthy for me."

Even as it spoke, the left-hand dog was slowly being swallowed back in its mantle of darkness. _"Outside isn't much better, but at least it won't be able to kill you anymore, unless you let it."_

The mastiffs had disappeared, and with the simple will of going _out_, the swirl of blackness settled before his eyes, becoming the unfazed shadows behind closed eyelids.

---

Seifer woke up with a great gasp of surprise, but instead of filling with air, his lungs were quickly flooded by cold, metallic-tasting water. He choked, but realized he was submerged and could not draw breath. His coat was heavy as stone and was dragging him down. Seifer fought down a surge of panic at the idea of drowning as he felt a burn in his lungs and a pressure in his brain, and started kicking back up, but found something clinging to his legs. He looked down, the water –he'd fallen in the pool, the idiot—stinging his eyes, but it was too dark to see anything but faintly bulbous shapes near him.

He kicked his legs furiously, and the things let go suddenly, as if burnt. He almost managed to make his way back to the surface, but soon the things were back, more numerous and powerful.

Seifer felt the pain from his lungs and air-deprived brain spread throughout his body and fought like a cornered badger, flailing his legs and wind-milling his arms. He got tangled in his water-laden coat and felt the pull downwards win against his own efforts. Seifer gurgled in cursed alarm as he felt the strength ebb out of his limbs. He was out of time!

And then, so suddenly that it choked the rest of his precious air out of his lungs, something caught him by the collar and hauled him up. The clutching things offered resistance, but Seifer kicked them off with the last of his strength and he was pulled out of the water, his head breaking the surface more quickly than he'd thought.

The first coughing intake of air was a blessing. It soothed his lungs and helped clear his head. As he opened his eyes, his vision returned in a myriad of small black spots that slowly vanished to reveal the sharper darkness of stone.

"You ok?" someone yelled over him even as he was unceremoniously dragged back on the rocky ledge. The cavern was filled with aggressive music and shrieks and yells.

Seifer blinked the last of the spots from his eyes and finally recognized Zell's face over his, worried but deathly intent on something before him. It didn't take long for Seifer to recognize the intensity of the expression the martial artist wore during battle.

The sounds slowly made sense, and Seifer struggled to sit up, feeling weak-limbed and light-headed, but nonetheless determined to exact gory and painful vengeance on the damn monsters that had gotten him so easily.

"Where's my blade?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

Zell pushed something in his hand. It was Hyperion's corded hilt. "Here."

There was an increase in the music's tempo and Zell swore, jumping back to his feet. As Seifer willed his stupid knees to support his weight, he saw four monsters leap onto the cavern floor, tootling madly, and advance on Zell. The man pulled back one fist, and with a blow Seifer didn't even see, shattered the head of the nearest against the stone. The three others surrounded him, but he was too fast and strong for them to do much, at least outside water.

Finally recollecting some of his strength, Seifer moved forward, his blade raised before him. A small knife whistled past his ear and lodged itself in a barely-emerging monster. There was the thrust of a spear in the corner of his vision, the flash of blades, familiar and not, but Seifer ignored them. The others could very well take care of themselves.

Seifer moved nearer and let Hyperion dance and dispatch the closest monsters, his weakness forgotten as he fought and fell into the unforgiving rhythm of battle. He didn't think of anything else but the movements of his blade against his enemies until silence once again filled the cavern.

When the last monster had been killed, its black blood oozing in a puddle over the slippery rock, Seifer looked around, searching for the next attacker, but none came. He took a long, steadying breath and flicked the blood off his blade. After the near-constant music that had accompanied them during their crossing, the sudden silence was eerie, foreboding.

"Hey Seifer! You ok now?"

Said man looked across to Zell, who kicked one last corpse back into the water before turning a large, battle-frenzy grin up at him. Seifer felt his eyebrow twitch in disgust at the splatter of gory bits splattered over Zell, especially his hands. The later didn't seem to have noticed.

"I'm fine," he answered tartly. With the fight over and his near-drowning experience behind him, he had all the luxury of being particularly angry, mostly at himself. He casually brushed a hand through his very wet hair –which were dripping in his eyes, damn them—even though saying he was perfectly fine was dangerously overestimating his state. His legs were wobbly and breathing still hurt, but it was little compared to the very general state of weakness he felt.

Seifer was really not happy with himself right now.

"Sure?" Zell repeated, then raised an apologetic hand when Seifer glowered at him. "Sorry, I know." With his hand up, Zell finally noticed its state and winced, the battle rage that allowed him to smash skulls and bones without a care now sluicing off of him. He knelt back near the water, checking it warily before quickly ducking his hands in it. "It's just, I didn't think I'd actually be able to catch you. The monsters came up as soon as you fell in and stopped me from reaching you in time." Zell scrunched his face. "I so did not want to have to jump in there after you."

Seifer rolled his eyes, but through the anger at himself for toppling in the first place, he was thankful that Zell had been there to raise the alarm and pull him out. He owed him, as much as it galled.

"Your heroic impulses will never cease to amaze me," he drawled, but he didn't manage to put the appropriate bite in it.

Zell glared at him as he brushed the…_bits_ off himself. "No problem, it was my pleasure. Why'd you let yourself fall anyways? That was totally not cool, man."

Yes, why had he? There were a few blurry gaps in his memory, but Seifer was fairly sure he understood what had happened with what he could recall. It was mostly impressions, vague feelings of being lulled to peaceful surrender.

"It's their song. It was a spell that put me to sleep," Seifer explained succinctly, though he knew that couldn't be completely true, not after what Cerberus had told him, not after the way he currently felt. No sleep spell made you feel so under the weather, near-drowning or not.

Having finished with his gruesome task, Zell straightened with a look of confused suspicion. "That's weird. I heard it too put wasn't affected."

Seifer shrugged minutely and sheathed Hyperion. The familiar weight, if strangely heavier, was reassuring. "What else could it be? You just didn't hear it long enough."

"Still…" Zell pondered, but if he managed to come up with something, he was interrupted by Squall's arrival.

"Are you alright?" Squall asked Seifer, looking him over quickly for injuries.

"Is everyone going to ask me that? I'm fine," Seifer snapped, and to make sure they didn't notice the half-lie, he strode purposefully back to one of the small fires and grabbed a brand to use as a torch, then kicked the rest to extinguish the flames. He could feel Squall's eyes on his back, heavy and calculating. Damn the guy for knowing him too well.

"Let's just go already. It's not going to be safe sleeping in here," he said, looking around at the worried or curious with the most aloof stare he could manage until they started moving, killing fires and gathering their very few belongings.

In truth, Seifer didn't feel like moving. He felt like maybe killing some more monsters to pass his frustration, but after that, the thing he found himself wishing for the most was warmth and something comfortable to lie on. His legs were protesting against walking, that was for sure.

Seifer growled at himself and forced the compelling and pathetic ideas out of his head. He would prove that cocky bastard of a GF that he was not weak, but why he felt like proving himself to something serving _him_, he didn't ask and didn't want to know.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Ripples in a Pond  
  
**_Chapter 12_**  
**Rating: **PG for this chapter  
**Warnings: **Crazies on the rampage.  
**Pairings: **Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome isn't named to avoid spoilers. 

**Summary: **All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs stillrule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown.ff8-ff9  
**Notes:** N/A

Vivi stopped in a small clearing a few hours after it had stopped being safe –the term safe being highly particular to the forest— and gathered dry wood to light himself a fire. The night was pitch black, the moon overhead hidden by thick clouds. If Vivi hadn't known better, he might have pushed his luck and tried reaching the village during the night, since he only had an hour or so left before him, but he _did_ know better. Regretting the lack of a tent and its magical properties, he settled before his small fire with his staff across his knees, not quite ready yet to go to sleep, or as much sleep as he could get in here. 

Still, if his luck held, his light sleep wouldn't be troubled by monsters. He'd been unchallenged the whole time he'd been in the forest, the trees looming perfectly silent and still. Vivi had never seen it like this, and it was more unsettling than when he'd crossed it while it bristled with pent up aggression. Monsters he could deal with; this feeling as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for the hammer to fall, grated directly on his nerves.

Vivi smiled wryly; chances were that that hammer would come in the shape of a large, colorful ball of mass destruction. So far Ozma had yet to do anything against the forest or the hidden village. In fact, it had been surprisingly easy to avoid while staying in the protective shadows at the mountains' feet. Its attention had looked to be solely concentrated between one crashed ship and the other.

With a deep sigh Vivi reached in his pockets for that single, small piece of dried meat and tried loosening the knot of worry clenched tight in his stomach. Thinking of his children safe in Alexandria helped, even though he felt sorry to be causing _them_ worry. No doubt they were relentlessly pestering moogles for news of the Invincible, making perfect nuisances of themselves, but Vivi couldn't begrudge them that. He smiled to himself as he thought of them, and then nearly missed that single sound of a crumpled leaf coming from across the fire.

There was magic channeled through his staff faster than he blinked and he focused it on the area before him, squinting as he tried deciphering the silhouette of whatever was approaching. The glare of the fire worked against his night vision, but he'd rather have that small protection than be caught completely unawares.

Finally Vivi heard the sounds again, muffled and near-silent steps he realized could never belong to the heavy Zemzelett. He let his magic abate slightly and stood, craning his neck over the flames to better see.

"Who's there?" he finally spoke, because he might not know who or what was coming, but they were clearly aiming for him.

There was a silence, and then, "Mister Vivi?"

All the magic left his staff as Vivi recognized that even, calm voice speaking with the clipped accent of one not speaking his mother tongue. He couldn't help a smile as he moved around the fire to go and meet those newcomers.

"It is!" he answered, and suddenly the fire illuminated two figures, one tall and broad and pointy, the other small and lithe. Vivi knew he was beaming up at the black mage and genome, but he couldn't stop himself. Just seeing them there, unharmed and normal, confirmed that the village was still safe after all.

Mister 110 stepped out of the trees, peering around Vivi's makeshift camp curiously before looking back at his fellow mage. "I'm relieved to see you and not a monster, though both would have surprised me equally. I thought you were in Alexandria?"

Vivi nodded his head towards the fire in invitation. Ichiro moved towards it silently, squatting down and studying the flames blankly. He looked as much at home as if he was back on Terra.

"I was supposed to be, but things happened," Vivi grimaced, and he moved to sit beside Ichiro as Mister 110 settled on the other side of the fire.

"What kind of things?" the black mage inquired politely.

Vivi shook his head. "It's a long story. Tell me first, what are you two doing out here, in the middle of the night?"

There was something like a smile in Mr. 110's voice. "_Things_ have happened here as well. The village has decided to keep patrols and sentries in the forest."

Those words twisted Vivi's heart in his chest for a moment, but if something had been wrong, these two, they wouldn't have been so calm. They would've said something about it. As it was, Vivi leaned forward intently.

"What things?"

Now there definitively was a smile in Mr. 110's voice. "It is a shorter story than yours, I think, so it might be better to save it for last. What brings you in the forest in the middle of the night, Mister Vivi? Surely it isn't to patrol."

"I came to warn the village," he answered. "A dangerous monster is on the prowl, just outside the forest. I don't know if it'll attack the village, but I'm not taking chances."

Mr. 110 didn't openly react, silently taking in what Vivi was saying. "Ah. And what manner of monster is it?"

"It's called Ozma, and it's one of the most powerful monsters I know. It used to sleep quietly up in the clouds, but for some reason it came down and attacked the Invincible." Vivi grimaced despite himself as he recalled the unfettered aggression and power Ozma had unleashed on the ship, bringing it down in a matter of seconds. "I think that's what the Ladybug was fleeing from."

Mr. 110 hummed quietly under his breath, but there was a new tension to his shoulders. "It would explain a lot of things. What happened to the ship?" he demanded, his voice sharper from the possible answers he might receive.

Vivi sighed as he shook his head. At least he had some good news. "Crashed, but Zidane is taking the others through Fossil Roo back to Lindblum, then Alexandria. They're all ok."

"They are safe; that's good," Mr. 110 said, and he looked up at the veil of cloud as if expecting to see something swooping down on them. "Still, these are dreadful news."

At the mention of safety, Vivi couldn't help thinking of the attack in the entrance of Fossil Roo, of the heavy air and half-flooded state. "They're alright, but I don't know if they're safe," he said miserably. They could all defend themselves, of course, but it didn't alleviate his worry. "Fossil Roo was strange."

Ichiro looked up at those words, his eyes intent and piercing. For some reason, Vivi found himself deeply unsettled by the intensity of the scrutiny. "How so?" the genome asked, tilting his head to the side slightly.

"First, the water level is higher, but I guess that can be explained easily," Vivi started, leaning back as he tried marshalling his thoughts around what exactly made him uncomfortable about Fossil Roo. "Second, we were attacked right away, and the monster managed to effortlessly knock out Freya and Eiko, though they weren't harmed in any way."

Ichiro frowned minutely. "That is surprising?"

Knowing the genome wasn't being mean towards the girls' abilities, Vivi only shook his head. "It shouldn't be, but there's something in the air I can't pin down, and it makes me uneasy."

Mr. 110 considered that explanation carefully as Ichiro returned his attention to the fire. Finally he spoke, starting carefully, as if afraid to offend Vivi.

"It is an underwater tunnel; maybe an entrance has been eroded deep in the sea bed to allow more water inside. More water would give more monsters room to live and multiply. Maybe that could explain it?" he finally said.

"I guess it can," Vivi ground out, but somehow that answer was not satisfying in the least. He felt like something more sinister was afoot, even if Mr. 110's explanation did make a lot of sense.

"You are still worried," Mr. 110 pointed out, and he sounded like he blamed himself for not comforting his friend properly. Vivi forced himself to at least look more at ease.

"Of course I am," he admitted truthfully. "But now that you said that, I'm more worried about _you_. You said things happened. What things?"

Mr. 110 raised his hands and made a diminishing gesture. "Nothing so dreadful you need to worry about. We have had a few monster uprisings, but we have brought them under control without casualties," the black mage explained easily. "We are merely being wary," he added, motioning at himself and Ichiro.

"Monster uprisings?" Vivi repeated incredulously.

Mr. 110 nodded. "Yes. Coming in and out of the forest, but now it has been so quiet we believe they have either all gone from the trees, or found deep places of hiding. We were baffled by their behavior, but your story might explain it all. I think Ozma has been scaring them senseless."

He had said no casualties. Vivi exhaled a deep breath of relief, and for the first time the weight against his heart wasn't so heavy. "So you're keeping patrol," Vivi finished, but a thought had him looking at pensive Ichiro strangely. "As for that, I can understand sending out black mages, but…" he hesitated, sensing the touchy subject, especially if spoken right before Ichiro, but Mr. 110 understood the unspoken question.

"We do not ask the genomes, or only few of them. Ichiro has become stronger while you were gone," the black mage explained.

"Stronger?"

Mr. 110 nodded. "Yes. His magical abilities have grown."

Ichiro, small, silent and content with staring into the fire while they spoke of him, didn't look like he was any different than before.

"How much?" Vivi asked, curious. It was the first time he heard of a genome who succeeded enough in the magical arts as to be truly noticed and known for it.

"I do not really know." Mr. 110 leaned his head to the side pensively. "It is constantly evolving now."

"Maybe it's an ability inherent in all genomes, but they just didn't have the chance to develop it before," Vivi suggested. "It'd be nice."

Mr. 110 nodded, but there was an odd tension in his shoulders. "It would be," he agreed noncommittally.

Vivi hummed under his breath; it was strange to think of, but for once it was an appreciable strangeness. Maybe now black mages wouldn't be the sole holders of black magic, and it would only be one more thing to share with genomes.

"The moon is moving down," Ichiro suddenly said as his gaze moved from the fire to the cloud-hidden sky. How he could tell where the moon was, Vivi didn't know.

"We should sleep, then," Mr. 110 said. "Let's stand guard and sleep in turns."

After the sentry order was decided, Vivi rolled down on the barren floor with too many thoughts tumbling around his skull to let him properly rest.

---

"I don't believe anyone will abandon the village willingly."

Vivi had found Mr. 288 in the cemetery. The black mage had become the unofficial leader of the village, but in the sense that people went to him for advice and guidance, but he held no real authority over his peers. Vivi had told him all about Ozma, Mr. 110 had reported the continuing changes –or lack thereof-- in the Zemzeletts' behavior, and Mr. 288 had listened silently, his eyes straying to the tombs spread before him. When the reports were finished and Vivi had halfheartedly recommended evacuation, he'd taken a moment to consider his words. His answer hadn't been surprising.

"It would be safer," Vivi answered, but he understood the black mages' feelings and shared them.

"Would it? Ozma might never bother us. We would be leaving the village for nothing."

Vivi sighed and fingered his hat, prey to dual motivations. "I know. But what if it does come?"

Mr. 288 looked at him intently, his face open yet unreadable. "We fight."

"But—"

"Tell me, what would you do in our stead? What would you do if you weren't going back to your friends?"

Vivi looked at the graves, didn't have to look back to see the village's rooftops, and knew what his answer would be. He'd known before he even suggested evacuating the village.

"I'd stay."

Mr. 288 nodded, seeming to have expected that answer.

"It's our home, the first we've had since we fled. We won't flee from possible dangers only to be homeless again."

"I know."

"But you want to go."

Vivi nodded in turn and straightened resolutely. He wanted to be with the black mages in case something happened, but the same was true with Zidane and the others.

"I want to be with my friends in case they need help, and I also want to go back to my kids, even if I have to cross Fossil Roo alone. Besides," Vivi added with a little smile, "you are all powerful enough. I won't make much of a difference by myself if Ozma attacks."

Mr. 288 returned his amusement with a quiet laugh.

"Good luck."

"You might need it more than me."

The two black mages exchanged farewells and Vivi left, Mr. 110 in tow. They were silent as they made their way over wooden bridges and planks towards the shops, but before Vivi could push open the door to the first, Mr. 110 put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

"Is something wrong?" Vivi asked, looking up at his friend, and the tilt of the other black mage's hat was sheepish.

"Technically, no, but I was wondering if you would care for some company during your travels?"

Vivi stared in surprise. "Of course, but—why?"

Mr. 110 looked to the side, embarrassed, but his eyes still held a faraway gleam.

"I think I want to see the world, have adventures. I am not satisfied with living in hiding."

"It's going to be dangerous," Vivi pointed out, because even though he would welcome the company and help, he wanted to make sure Mr. 110 knew what he was 'adventuring' in.

"Would it be worse than fighting Ozma?"

Vivi had to laugh at the irony of it even as a shudder ghosted up his spine at the sheer physical memory of the pain of his first encounter with the monster. "I guess not."

---

Zell knew he didn't know Seifer all that much. Sure, after having fought against the guy for so long, he'd gotten better at guessing his moods, but not his thoughts, not the way Squall sometimes managed it. That's how he explained not noticing sooner how…strange Seifer had gotten.

Walking closely behind the taller man, Zell didn't take his eyes off that red-crossed coat, and kept especially careful watch on his sword arm. At least now he seemed relatively sane, if you didn't count the random crap the man was steadily spouting.

"Hot-dogs are disgusting," Seifer presently stated, voice steady as could be, empty of the possible scorn he might have used before.

Zell rolled his eyes. "They aren't."

"Look at what they're made of. It's disgusting," Seifer retorted, absolutely serious, and shooting Zell a 'don't you see how obvious it is?' look over his shoulder.

"If people can eat animal brains and guts, I don't see what's so wrong with hot-dogs."

The first outburst had happened two days ago, but reflecting back, Zell realized Seifer had been on the downward slope for a while now. If anyone had noticed something was wrong then, maybe they could have avoided the whole thing; as it was, Irvine still hadn't forgiven Seifer for the damage to his hat. As for his badly sliced arm, he'd dismissed it already.

Zell stopped when Seifer did, resisting the urge to swear at the man. Last time Zidane had, it had nearly made more victims.

"Keep moving, man," he said, and chanced a firm but wary push on Seifer's shoulder.

The taller man didn't budge. He was looking at Zell scornfully, his eyes bright with the fever that hadn't broken in two days. "You eat animal brains?"

No swearing. Or insulting. Right. It wasn't really Seifer's fault if he was being lunatic anyways. "Doesn't matter if I do, just keep walking, ok?"

Seifer sneered at him –alright, that was pure normal Seifer-sneer, that was—and disdainfully started walking again. Zell was happy as long as Seifer was busy walking and not being violent.

He should've known it wouldn't last, though. Not one minute later Seifer was slowing down again, considering Zell out of the corner of his eye.

"Animal brains..? Really?"

Zell couldn't help smiling a little evilly. "Yeah. They're pretty good, actually. You should try them out sometimes." He'd never eaten animal brains in his life, and he didn't think he'd ever want to try.

Seifer hummed quietly, looking ahead as he considered the wisdom of Zell's words. "Are you sure? Maybe that's why you never grew taller…"

Zell felt his cheeks burn, and sick Seifer or not, he wasn't going to let that one slide. "Fuck you, Almasy, I'm not short!"

And he really should've thought twice before saying that. Swearing in general didn't really make Seifer snap. It was swearing _at him_, personally. It was like pushing the big, red, don't touch button. Seifer was even more a prickly bastard when he was raving.

As it was, Zell saw Seifer move quickly enough, and he had his sword arm locked behind his back before he could draw Hyperion. The man still fought, cursing Zell up and down for insulting him, but unless he was ready to pop a socket –and Zell had no qualms about doing it, not anymore— he'd have to give. Writhing like an eel for a few more moments, during which Zell had to manhandle Seifer's other arm in a deadlock, Seifer finally subsided, his back stiff with wounded pride.

"Ok now?" Zell asked, a little out of breath, because he might have the upper hand in sheer strength and hand-to-hand techniques, but Seifer was still pretty damn tall.

"Let me go," Seifer answered, and it was the sanest Zell had heard him in a while. He hesitated only a second before letting go.

"What's wrong, man?" he asked, because Seifer really had sounded normal for once. They had yet to have any answer to that question, but he could always try, right?

The taller man looked at him seriously, and though the feverish light in his eyes was still strong, Seifer's stare was intent and guarded.

"I don't know."

Zell was taken aback by the sheer fact that he'd received an actual answer. He blinked at Seifer, who turned back and started walking again, following the others' torches up ahead. Seifer didn't know, and he'd admitted to it. That fact gave a new level of significance to Seifer's unknown sickness.

"What – what does it feel like?" Zell hazarded after a while, hoping for Seifer's moment of clarity to hold. They'd tried Treatment, but it had slid off Seifer's skin without healing a thing.

Seifer tilted his head like he was considering the question. "Cerberus did warn me something would happen," he said in lieu of answer, and Zell felt his shoulders slump with a sigh of disappointment. He should've known he wouldn't be so lucky.

"Cerberus? The GF Cerberus?"

Seifer nodded. "I remember it saying that outside wouldn't be safer than inside."

Zell had stopped understanding what Seifer was saying a while ago, but he decided to keep him talking. He might be talking weird, but the tone of his voice was so honest, that it was hard not to believe, at least a little, that what he said might be true.

"Outside and inside what?"

"My mind."

Zell's eyes widened in dubious surprise. "You met Cerberus in your own mind? I thought we couldn't communicate like that with our GFs."

Smirking openly, Seifer shrugged arrogantly. "You don't know a lot of things."

"Da—" Zell caught himself before the word got out. The idiot could be as infuriating when he was sick as when he was healthy. "Meeting up with a GF doesn't make you that much wiser."

"Have you ever talked to Ifrit? Or whoever else you've got junctionned?"

"No, and so long as they come when asked, I don't mind if I don't."

Seifer didn't reply to that, walking on silently, but Zell didn't like how he casually rested his hand on Hyperion's hilt. At least the others knew to keep a small, cautious distance in front of the swordsman. Monsters were bad enough without having to add him to the enemy list.

Suddenly Seifer stopped again, but this time his entire balance shifted, his gravity lowering and his legs spreading, ready to leap into battle, or react to an attack. Zell froze and mimicked that move, but if there was any danger he was expecting it from another source entirely.

"What's that sound?" the taller man asked, looking to the right into a small depression in the rock everyone else had passed by without noticing anything. It was dark and silent, but Seifer leaned closer, eyes sharp with concentration.

"What sound?" Zell asked cautiously, and he moved forward to stand beside Seifer so he could peer in the darkness as well. With the others steadily bearing the torches away, it was hard seeing anything at all, but eventually Zell managed to make out a deeper darkness from the rest of the shadows.

There was a hole too small to fit a moogle in the rocky ground, deep enough in the shadows that it was easy to miss even by torchlight. Seifer angrily motioned for silence, then pointed down that tiny hole.

Zell raised eyebrows at him and mouthed, very clearly, "Are you mad?" because there was no way going near that hole or putting his hand or foot in it was in any way a good idea.

Seifer glowered at him, but seemed content enough to have Zell's silence as he returned his attention to the object of his curiosity.

Zell first considered wrestling Seifer away, but he didn't know how to approach it without sparking another madness spell in Seifer. He liked his limbs intact, thank you very much, and the gunblade master was more moody than a Mesmerize with its blade cut. Still, there had to be something there to distract Seifer, so Zell found himself unwittingly leaning closer –though he remained a reasonable distance away, he wasn't stupid—and listened.

At first there was nothing. Just the echoes of the others' dying footsteps as they realized Seifer and Zell weren't following, then their soft whispers as they wondered why. There was the crackling of a torch, the creak of leather and the rustle of clothing. Zell was about to give up when something he couldn't quite identify caught his attention, and he stepped closer despite his better judgment to listen.

It sounded like something was breathing, but with difficulty. It inhaled with the high whistle of a clogged throat but exhaled in a ragged, choking growl. Zell's first reaction was to back away, but then a spark of familiarity froze his steps. He listened harder, then looked aside at Seifer. He was looking at him intently, his pupils dilated in the dark, and that stare was telling him he knew what was down there as well, and that he knew Zell had guessed as well. Overall it was unnerving, and Zell swallowed hard before straightening back up.

"It sounds like the dying gargant we found earlier," Zell finally said, and though he couldn't hear the sound of the breathing over his own voice, he was sure of it. That tiny hole must connect with an underlying tunnel, where, by the sounds of it, the giant insect had decided to die.

Seifer nodded, looking far too wild to Zell's liking. "It is." The gunblade master looked down the hole, and though his intentions were clearly written all over his face, Zell still wasn't fast enough to stop Seifer from reaching down the shaft.

"Hey, don't!"

A thousand scenarios scrambled through Zell's mind, mostly revolving around the possibility that a monster might still have found shelter in that hole somehow. Not waiting to think, Zell stepped forward and firmly yanked Seifer's unharmed arm out of the shaft.

"Be careful, man!" he hissed, and of course he should've expected what was coming. Seifer had become a violent wildcard, but a strangely predictable one.

"Don't come closer," Seifer snapped back, yanking his arm out of Zell's grip, and the martial arts master realized in slow motion that despite the sword arm he was holding, and maybe because of it, Seifer's other fist circled back fast to land a powerful blow to his exposed ribs. Zell twisted to minimize the impact, but he still fell backwards with his breath neatly knocked out of his lungs.

His vision went black for a second, but the second blow he half expected didn't come. Alarmed voices ran nearer, and Zell was aware of someone kneeling before him that carefully reached over to prod his hands off his ribs and evaluate the damage. His vision mostly returned by that time, and a little of his breath, which he figured might be the only reason he couldn't properly yell right now.

Seifer was the bastard checking his ribs, and he wore a completely unreadable look. Zell forced himself to breath deep, blinked the painful black spots from his eyes, and pushed Seifer's hands away.

"The hell was that for, man?" he managed, and fuck if that made the idiot react badly, Zell would be glad to give Seifer a bruise to match what his ribs felt like right now.

Seifer looked up, his feverish eyes a little too wide, his skin clammy and sickly.

"You ribs aren't broken, but they might be bruised."

"No surprise there," Zell ground out and straightened to diminish the strain, but it was already lessening. "Was there even something in that hole?"

"Probably. I don't know."

Zell closed his eyes a moment and forced down the bottled fury and worry and exhaustion that were threatening to explode very violently. Seifer, arrogant, mean and sharp-tongued he could endure. This…_sickness_ or whatever it was, he had more trouble with. He kept telling himself it wasn't really Seifer's fault, but it was hard not to think the man wasn't even trying to fight it. He'd become his caretaker since, amongst those strong enough to restrain Seifer in a fit, he was the one the guy reacted the less violently to, Ifrit knew why.

Still, Zell wasn't a saint, didn't have a lot of patience, and he knew it. He rose to his feet and looked back at the others, waiting, asking if everything was ok, eyeing Seifer distrustfully. He decided he wanted to sleep.

"I'm fine, I'm too tough to get beat up by Almasy!" he first told the others, and true enough, the ache was dulling. "Let's just get out of here."

As everyone started moving with different levels of distrust and confusion, Squall hung back near Seifer and gave Zell a meaningful look that clearly stated he was picking up guard duty for now. Though he wouldn't be sad to drop that task for a while, Zell also felt a little guilty at leaving others to Seifer's tender ministrations. But since when had he become his personal nurse anyways? Chasing the feelings away, Zell firmly left Seifer behind and followed the others.

Not ten paces later he could hear Seifer's longer strides closely matching his own from behind.

"You should take a potion. We might have to fight again, and you're dead weight if you can't defend yourself."

Trust Seifer to be a bastard even after he hit you. Zell shot him a vicious look. "I can still fight! Don't get ideas, that flick of yours just knocked my wind!"

Walking before Seifer, Zell missed how the taller man raised his chin defiantly, ready for a counterattack, when his eyes suddenly lost their sharpness and softened into a strange, startled and guilty look that was entirely puzzled at itself.

"I'm sorry."

Zell almost missed a step. Seifer apologizing to him was even more alien than him admitting he didn't know something. Zell stared over his shoulder, saw Seifer's look, and decided he wasn't going to ask.

"Next time, just warn a guy before you punch him."

A slow, familiar smirk made its way across Seifer's face.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter: 13_  
Rating:** PG  
**Warnings: **Some very mild battle violence, I guess? Nothing, really.  
**Pairings:** Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome isn't named to avoid spoilers.

**Summary:** All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs still rule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown. ff8-ff9  
**Notes: **This one was a big, huge writer's block until I decided to change the POV. Then it went nicely. I actually like the last two scenes a lot. Can you spot the foreshadowing? -snerk-

"Has his fever broken yet?" Quistis asked as she settled across the fire with a suppressed sigh of weariness. She was covered with dirt and looked as tired as Zell felt himself.

Zell shook his head. Beside them, Seifer had laid down in a tight bundle of coat despite the thick, humid air, and he was so still he could as well be dead.

"If anything, it's worse," Zell said, recalling how hard it had been for Seifer to simply walk, how he'd been raving with fever and babbling incoherently. He'd never thought he'd feel this way, but Zell missed Seifer's more violent sickness. At least then his eyes had been alive.

Quistis stared at Seifer in silent thoughtfulness. "I don't understand what's wrong with him or why Treatment fails so completely, but I have a guess about how it happened."

"The battle? We all heard the songs, but nobody else got sick," Zell pointed. He looked at Quistis looking at Seifer. She looked frazzled beyond exhaustion. He leaned back and foraged in his capacious pockets until he found a bit of hard bread. Their rations would barely last them a day or two, but he still tossed the morsel to Quistis. She looked like she needed it.

She caught it with a small nod of gratitude and started nibbling at the hard fare. "Not the singing," she eventually said. She leaned her arms on her knees. "The water. He's the only one who came in complete, prolonged contact with it."

Zell snickered. "Fell in, you mean."

"Yes. And it all started soon after that. The water must have been poisonous."

Nobody knew what was wrong with Seifer, what sickness or poison he was stuck with. It had just happened, and now they didn't know how to help him. A shiver ran up Zell's spine and he looked over at the dark entrance of Fossil Roo. It had been almost a shock to step out of the tunnels and into the pale light of the night. The air was heavy and hot from the swampy area, but despite that it seemed cleaner, somehow. Zell was definitively glad to be out of there.

"Could make sense. I'm only glad Lindblum isn't far," he breathed. Seifer was getting so weak Zell had had to carry him once or twice already.

This time it was Quistis' turn to chuckle. "I imagine. We're all willing to help, but it looks like Seifer has other ideas."

Glowering indignantly, Zell sat back against a rock and crossed his arms sulkily. "The idiot is a bastard even when he's unconscious."

"Amarant didn't volunteer, but he didn't refuse to help either."

He shook his head. "Seifer's not their responsibility."

For some unfathomable reason, Seifer had lately decided that he wouldn't be approached or helped by anyone but Zell. His reactions to anybody else were even more violent than before -- Squall had found out the hard way. The only other person he tolerated, if reluctantly, was Amarant. Why that was, Zell couldn't fathom, but it did nothing to help please him.

Quistis smiled thinly. "True, but don't be stubborn if he ever becomes too much to handle."

"I guess I can always knock him out if it comes to that," Zell laughed humourlessly.

As if understanding that he was the subject of the conversation, Seifer rolled towards the fire. Slowly, his eyes cracked open, hazy and burned by fever, but oddly conscious. He stared blankly into the flames.

"Hey man, how do you feel?" Zell asked, leaning forward. He wanted to check Seifer's fever, but he decided to wait until he was sure the man wouldn't lash out suddenly. It had happened before. The Brothers' Defend was more useful than it had any right to be.

Seifer looked up. "We're outside?"

Zell nodded. "A short while ago. We're spending the night here before heading out to Lindblum." He didn't point out that Seifer had technically been conscious when they'd first stepped outside.

Moving like a very old man, Seifer sat up, huddling in his coat. Zell had never seen him look so weak and vulnerable. He hated it.

"Here." Zell handed Seifer a small water vial. The gunblade master chucked it down wordlessly.

"Try and get some more rest," Quistis suggested gently. "The night's still young."

Seifer shrugged dismissively. "I'm fine."

Zell shared a long look with Quistis. "Lemme check for fever," he said more as a warning than anything. He removed a glove and leaned forward to check Seifer's brow. It was hot enough to cook an egg on. He whistled under his breath.

"You're burning up, man. Sure you don't want to sleep?"

His question was met with yet another shrug, though this one seemed more helpless. "I can't sleep."

"Nightmares?"

Seifer's shoulders shook with a mirthless chuckle. "Tonberry King doesn't speak, just stares. I guess it's unnerving enough to pass for a nightmare."

That nonsense again. Since Seifer had first mentioned speaking with Cerberus, the subject had cropped up a few times again, and each time Seifer seemed more intimate with the GFs in his mind. Zell had tried to see if it was true, tried speaking with his own junctioned GFs, but he'd come up with squat. It was hard to believe Seifer was telling the truth.

Zell grimaced dubiously. "You didn't really meet Tonberry King, did you? You just saw him in a dream."

Seifer granted him a perfectly blank look that radiated 'chickenwuss' waves. "Him, Eden or Cerberus." Seifer added something about moody bastards under his breath.

Over the fire, Quistis was shooting him nasty shut-up glares. Zell threw his hands up in frustration and gave up.

"How do you meet them?" she asked, just curious enough, but not _too_ curious as to sound suspicious.

It was a moment before Seifer spoke. He looked into the fire, considering the question, his eyes hooded and shadowed with bone-deep exhaustion.

"I don't know. Sometimes when I go to sleep I just…slip through."

"Slip through?"

A nod. "Into their domain."

It was getting too late for this. Zell yawned expensively, feeling his sore muscles twitch in weak protest. If Seifer was relatively lucid right now, he knew better than to assume it would remain the case. Tomorrow would be a long day, the only respite being that they were finally outside and didn't need to worry about finding torches and fuel anymore.

"Maybe it's a dream. Just forget about it and sleep, you don't want me carrying you if you faint from exhaustion," Zell snipped good-naturedly. If it came to it, maybe he'd ask Amarant for just a little help after all.

Seifer looked up, a slow, devious grin forming on his lips.

"Don't think you could handle it?"

He hadn't denied the fact that it might happen. This unconscious acceptance of his state wasn't really reassuring coming from Seifer. Somehow, Zell figured the man should be denying it with all his soul, or at least denying needing help, Zell's most of all.

Still, Seifer was goading him into indignation. Zell was too tired to bite, but he was not going to completely refuse either.

"I sure can. It's how I carry you that you might not like. I won't care about making you too comfortable."

"I'm not going to give you a chance to try," Seifer replied. He reached over with his arms and tightened his coat around his shoulders.

"I'm glad to hear it." With yet another yawn, Zell let himself slip to the ground, feeling the familiar sores and bruises complain about yet another night sleeping on rough rock. He ignored them with old practice and turned his back to the fire. "Try getting some more sleep, and if Tonberry King annoys you again, just smack him like you'd normally do."

Seifer murmured a half-convinced reply, but Zell stopped paying attention when Quistis started talking again and instead let himself fall asleep.

--

Zidane hadn't believed it'd be possible to _miss_ Fossil Roo. He'd just been proven wrong.

Sitting with his elbows propped on the back of his chair, one foot jingling nervously and unable to keep that twitch out of his tail, Zidane watched the intricate carpet laid out over the just-as-fancy tiles. He felt like pacing, but kept his peace. He doubted Cid would appreciate being interrupted.

As much as this meeting was important, Zidane couldn't put his mind to it. They were now safe in Lindblum, bathed and rested and fed, but the last thing he felt like discussing was the _what now._ Fossil Roo had been good for that. There had only been the struggle to survive and find their way, with no time or energy he could waste on worrying. Now he was back in safe, comfortable territory, and had no such luxury.

There was too much to think and worry about. The problem wasn't just what to do with Squall's company anymore, but also Ozma, Fossil Roo, the Black Mage Village –where was Vivi now?—, the Invincible, the Ragnarok and all the possible repercussions it could all have on trade and economy, and shit but Zidane didn't like that side of ruling a kingdom. He had no talent with it either. He'd been raised a _thief_.

Then there was Seifer, and they had to do something about him fast. According to Zell, his fever had abated to less aggressive levels, but it hadn't broken once. Being sick so long had left Seifer a shell of man, thin and beyond weak and to all purposes near the end of his rope, yet he still managed to find the energy to lash out violently against anyone undesired approaching him. Zidane had ended up asking Amarant to go with the palace physicians to avoid an accident while they checked on him, even if Seifer had been unconscious for a long time now. Zell deserved a break.

Zidane started paying attention when he heard someone mention the fallen ships. Squall was shaking his head in response to what Cid had said.

"The Ragnarok is not going to fly again, not without drastic amounts of repairs, and nobody here has the knowledge or equipment to do anything about it." His voice was matter-of-fact, detached, but even if Squall was good at hiding what he felt, Zidane could still hear the note of weary resignation buried underneath.

Cid looked angry. He huffed in his moustaches. "The Invincible might not be beyond recovery, but with Ozma around, we're going to crash more ships than we're going to save any."

Ozma. Now that was one bouncy nightmare Zidane had wished never to see again.

"We'll have to do something about Ozma," he said with displeasure and apprehension. "The northern continent is relatively deserted, but if it decides to cross the ocean it could be disastrous." They would have to send warnings to all the merchants sending ships up north, maybe even forbid trade until they could deal with Ozma. If they even could. They'd tried defeating it, once, and had had their asses handed to them. He didn't know how it could be any different the second time.

"But why is it here?" Cid demanded with a touch of barely restrained anger at the world in general, gesturing sharply with one hand. "It was never inclined to descend before. Why now?"

Zidane shrugged, but noticed how Squall looked questioningly from one man to the other. He didn't wait for him to ask.

"Ozma used to sleep in the sky," Zidane explained, a little awkwardly. "On something called the Chocobo Air Garden, only accessible with the birds." Squall didn't look surprised to hear about chocobos, at least, and if the mention of the Air Garden had prompted a raised eyebrow, he was still listening seriously. "We bothered it once and were badly beaten, but to all purposes it just went back to sleep afterwards."

"Something might have happened to its resting place," Squall mused.

"Might be," Zidane agreed. "I'll have to go check, but the Air Garden moves around and you never know where it'll be. It could take me weeks to find it, but there're more urgent things to worry about right now."

Cid tugged at one moustache sharply, his eyes cast in a frown. "There are two ways to reach Ozma without it having the advantage: Fossil Roo, or by seaway. Neither are safe options anymore, yet we haven't perfected the ships that can fly without Mist enough to pitch them against it, not if the Invincible was taken down so easily."

"Is the monster problem growing?" Squall asked, no doubt referring to that little encounter they'd had on the trading ship heading for Alexandria. Vivi had told Zidane that the captain had been worried about exactly that detail, and a few reports had already made their way to Alexandria's official offices.

The regent grimaced with aggravation. "We've had more and more warnings from northern traders about the safety of sea travel. The reports have been stacking up while I was gone, it seems."

"Would you cross Fossil Roo again?" Squall's voice was sarcastic. No wonder.

Cid shook his head vehemently. "Not in the state it is in." He raised a finger. "However, I am not willing to tempt a crossing that could sink a fleet without us knowing what's attacking."

"In short, we have to investigate the sea monster uprising to decide if we can defend ourselves against it before we try anything," Zidane resumed, his foot jingling even harder. "But it doesn't even make sense that they'd be there in the first place!"

Predictably, Squall looked up in puzzlement at that statement. "Why?"

"Monsters are –were—created by Mist," Zidane grouched. "It constantly hung over the land, but it dissipated over large bodies of water. That's why travelling by sea was always safe before."

Squall crossed his arms and didn't bother hiding his displeasure. Zidane probably didn't look any better.

"So, to access the ships, we need to take down Ozma; or rather we need to take it down just to be safe. But first we have to take care of Fossil Roo, a tunnel connecting two continents, or the general monster uprising of a whole ocean." Squall looked up at the ceiling, his expression closed and dark. "How do you plan on doing any of that?"

Feeling annoyed and exhausted already from what lay ahead, Zidane decided he wouldn't mind a confrontation. "Actually, I have four chocobos that could fly us there. But after failing the first time, I doubt anyone will want to test that strategy again. You're welcome to try, though."

Squall glared, but Zidane had been on the receiving end of Kuja's admittedly much more disturbing stares enough that he wasn't impressed in the least. Finally the taller man broke the stare and shrugged.

"Now there, we can't lose our heads," Cid spoke, and he leaned toward Zidane with a meaningful stare. "We have faced stranger odds before and triumphed. We only need to take it one step at a time."

Squall looked from one man to the other, frowning a little as he missed the full implications of what Cid was alluding to, but this time Zidane ignored him. The regent was right; they couldn't panic. They'd all lived in a monster-choked world before, and it wasn't all that better still. They only had to figure out what kind of monsters lived in the water to know what defences they needed to tempt the crossing without killing themselves before they even reached Ozma.

"Right, baby steps! Where do we start, though?"

"With what's most urgent right now," Squall interrupted, voice low and intent. "Seifer needs to see a doctor, the best one you have, and now."

Though the tone was almost insolent in its authority towards Cid, the regent didn't show any sign that he minded. He was used to characters with no respect for proper etiquette.

"Our physicians are qualified, but this looks like something new to them," he replied mildly in response. The examinations had not been positive, and aside from trying to break his fever, the doctors weren't able to do anything else.

Thinking of doctors suddenly brought a name in the forefront of Zidane's mind. He grinned at the thought.

"Dr. Tot."

Both men looked at him, but Cid's face registered comprehension. He nearly bounced out of his seat.

"Of course! He's one of the most knowledgeable man of science I have ever encountered! If Seifer can be helped, Dr. Tot will know how."

Squall's flinch was small but still present. He hadn't missed Cid's 'if'. "Where can we find this Dr. Tot?"

"In Treno. Moving Seifer might not be an excellent idea, but it'd be best to bring him to Dr. Tot's laboratory, he'll be better equipped to help him."

"With an airship, barely half a day's travel," Zidane added helpfully. It wasn't always easy to remember that Squall knew about nothing of their world, that everything had to be explained to him.

Squall considered for a moment before nodding. "We have to get him there as soon as possible, then."

"I'll provide an airship," Cid offered and received Squall's nod of thanks with a small smile. "It can be ready to leave as soon as this evening."

Cid made as if to rise to send the orders right there and then, but Squall raised a hand and shook his head. "Make it ready for tomorrow morning. Zell will have to go as well; I'm giving him one last night to rest."

Zidane opened his mouth to offer Amarant's help again, but shut it with a click. He couldn't be sure the man really would agree to help, not if he was running on another agenda, and besides, it was only half a day's travel by airship. Two might just be too much.

"It will be done," Cid agreed gravely.

"Say, Treno is right over the airway towards Alexandria, isn't it?" Zidane mused aloud.

The regent blinked, then grinned fondly. "Yes. Just a few hours away from the city."

"I should get back to Garnet. She'll want to know what's happening, and I can't keep her out of any decisions we take."

"Of course!" Cid thought a moment, then nodded. "I will come with you. If we send a mail by moogle within the next hour, it will arrive before us and warn her of our arrival."

Caught off guard, Zidane blinked in surprise. "Why?"

"Alexandria is farther north than Lindblum. As a prime stop for traders, it will have the newest, most accurate news about the monster problem. It might help us find a lead to start from," the regent reasoned.

Zidane repressed a smirk. The man had said they had to take it one step at a time, and that was exactly what he was doing. No wonder he could rule Lindblum so well, his little hitch with Hilda aside.

"Good plan!" Besides, he couldn't wait to get home again. They'd barely had any time to celebrate their wedding as it was, and he missed her.

"It will be ready tomorrow at dawn," Cid said as he rose, already mumbling to himself about the preparations.

Zidane stood up and stretched, sensing the end of this meeting. When Cid got like that, it was usually safe to assume they were dismissed. Squall copied him, but he didn't look relieved. Mustn't be, when he had to trust people he still didn't know all that well with a deathly sick partner. Zidane would not have liked being in his shoes.

"Thanks, Cid," he said sincerely. He'd stopped counting the number of times the man's help and airships and other resources had saved their butt.

"Without you, I would never have survived through Fossil Roo. This is the least I can do. Thank you, Zidane," Cid replied seriously, fixing Zidane with eyes full of open gratitude. He turned to Squall. "I must thank you as well, you and all your friends. I might not have been much use in the tunnels, but now that we're back in Lindblum, I will do everything in my power to find a cure for Seifer and help you get back to your own planet."

Squall almost looked surprised by Cid's words. They didn't ease the stiffness in his shoulders, but his eyes did soften a little, letting them glimpse a little of the worry and despair that gnawed at him.

"Thank you," he said softly, then turned and walked out of the audience room. Zidane followed suit after one last grin over his shoulder.

--

Fossil Roo was eerie, and dangerous. Ichiro found it had the air of a great beast holding its breath before releasing a devastating attack. Somehow, it did not disturb him as it seemed to be doing the others. Vivi and Mr. 110 walked with the hunch of the mage on the edge of casting, peering intently in the deeper shadows created by their staff lights. Ichiro was content to let them do the searching and worrying as he walked and tasted the feel of the tunnels on the back of his throat, like a stench on the wind.

They had found signs of Vivi's friends' passing early on. Abandoned camps, for the most part, but also occasional signs of struggle. Those always put a strain in Vivi's pose. Ichiro didn't understand why. They had found no bodies.

The black mages were glad not to have met monsters so far, but Ichiro was disappointed. He knew the tunnels were full of life, it fairly thrummed with it, and he was sure seeing the monsters would help him understand this strange place. The more he walked, the more he felt _aware_, like he had been sleepwalking through the world and had just now woken up in a strange place. It was unsettling yet reassuring and fulfilling. Ichiro had never felt anything of the like before.

"Ichiro? Is something wrong?" Vivi called back, his voice hushed as if speaking loudly would matter here.

The genome realized he had stopped walking, staring in the black water streaked with orange from the torch's light.

"The monsters are hiding. Why are they not attacking?" he wondered aloud.

Vivi shook his head negatively. "I don't know, but let's be happy they aren't."

Ichiro disagreed. He was not happy; he wanted to see what type of beast would thrive in these tunnels filled with air that clung to him like oil.

Under the mage's urging, Ichiro finally pulled his gaze off the water and turned back to follow Vivi.

He felt them before the black mages. Dark intentions, bubbling closer, and they felt exactly like Fossil Roo. They belonged.

Ichiro turned just as the first two heads broke the water's surface. Away from the light, all Ichiro could see were bulbous bodies, popping out everywhere. Before the other two even noticed, the monsters started singing.

It was an aggressive, fast-paced whistling like wooden flutes. Ichiro was not bothered, but the two black mages jerked as if they had been hit. It must be an attack of some kind, then. Silently, Ichiro raised his hand, and concentrated.

The thunder spell lit up the cave in successive bursts, each fork finding its intended target. The thunder slaps echoed against the walls, powerful and too close and deafening, but Ichiro ignored them as easily as he had the monsters' music. It was too weak to bother him, too pathetic. He controlled that power.

There was not much left of the monsters when the echoes finally died down and Mr. 110 held his lit staff over the water, revealing their charred remains. Silence was again complete, except for a faint ringing in his ear. Vivi stood flabbergasted, watching the corpses and Ichiro alternatively.

"Where did you learn that spell?" he finally asked, his voice awed but suspicious as well, suddenly.

Where? Ichiro had always known. It only felt as if he'd forgotten he could through disuse.

Mr. 110 retreated away from the water, visibly shaken. "I told you his magical abilities were improving. It is innate in him."

Ichiro put the discussing black mages out his mind –_It is innate in black mages too, but we still have to learn our spells _somewhere!-- and stared at the shadowed forms bobbing over the still water. He was disappointed. He had been expecting more of the tunnels' inhabitants. Their weakness felt like a betrayal. He did not understand why, but he was sure they should have been _more. _

He began walking again, behind the black mages. He paid attention enough to understand the name of the spell he had used, thundaga. Vivi sounded upset that he had cast it, as if it was abnormal. It did not feel like it was, quite the contrary. Like all the other new spells he was slowly discovering he had the ability to use, it felt like another piece of an unknown puzzle had clicked in his mind.

Tail lazily swishing with his stride, Ichiro soon dismissed the whole incident from his mind.

If this was all Fossil Roo had to offer, it was a waste of his time to further give it any thought.

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Ripples in a Pond

**_Chapter: 14_  
Rating:** G  
**Warnings: **N/A  
**Pairings:** Seifer/Zell, light Irvine/Selphie and implied Squall/Riona. The chosen threesome isn't named to avoid spoilers.

**Summary:** All bearings are lost when SeeDs experience an unfortunate crash that sends them on a planet where technology is at its beginning and monarchs still rule. The only thing they can do is try and keep their heads over the water and go with the flow, less they drown. ff8-ff9  
**Note: **This one was no easier to write, and it falls a few hundred words short compared to the others, but try and enjoy!  
**Note #2 **(Spoilerific for the hyper spoiler-sensitive)**:** I've been asked often about a future appearance by Rinoa. Unfortunately I don't want to answer, since it would ruin a lot of the plot. Just saying this I consider already too much... I'm sorry and all, but it's part of the suspense of the story!

Dr. Tot had seen many things in his life as a scientist, researcher and doctor. He often looked back to his youth and chuckled at his days of knowledge hunting in the recesses of the world with his glasses, probing nose and pale, sun-depraved skin. Those times had served him well, and he had learned many things that were not in books.

Watching as the very tall young man was being brought in his laboratory on a stretcher, Dr. Tot was sternly reminded that there was no end to knowledge, and as knowledgeable as he was, there would always be something to surprise him. If only they could more often be good surprises.

As the young man's innumerable feet of height were finally brought in, Dr. Tot gestured for the two bearers to put him on a bed he'd had specifically installed. Zidane came to stand beside him, his expression worried and sorry.

"He won't give you much trouble. He's been still as a corpse since we got to Lindblum," the genome assured, more as a need to fill the silence than for real information, no doubt.

Still, Dr. Tot had not worked as a doctor by only helping victorious recoveries. It was the thankless and unavoidable side of his line of work. "It might mean his case his worse, or that he is recovering. I cannot tell yet." Bad news were just as unavoidable. He looked over his glasses at Zidane. "I will do my best."

The genome stared at the unconscious man for a few moment before his eyes drifted to the blond one who was helping switch the patient from the stretcher to the bed.

"Tell that to that guy, Zell. He's been the one taking care of Seifer the most so far."

Dr. Tot considered those words and that look carefully before speaking. "I have been informed that Seifer is aggressive?"

Zidane snorted humorlessly. "You'd better be careful, doc. I don't know if Cid told you, but Zell is going to stay with Seifer to make sure he doesn't try anything. He isn't going to be an easy patient if he ever wakes up."

"I have had difficult cases before," Dr. Tot pointed out gently. "I am sure that with Zell's help, we will manage to avoid fatal confrontations," he added with a hint of sarcasm. He had not examined Seifer yet, but he could tell at a glance that the man was badly weakened by sickness. He could be handled.

"We're counting on you." Zidane half-turned towards the door as Squall gave a few last words to Zell and moved to leave. "You can contact either me or Cid anytime if you have news."

Dr. Tot nodded and followed both of them to the first stairs leading down the room. "I will keep you informed. The best of luck in your own endeavors."

"Thanks, doc."

Zidane had nearly disappeared down the steps when Dr. Tot recalled something rather important he had meant to say upon hearing of Zidane's coming here. How foolish of him, really!

"Ah, wait a moment, Lord Tribal!" Dr. Tot couldn't help an amused grin as Zidane froze in his tracks, shoulders tensing as if he'd been whipped. He knew the young genome just enough to understand he would never take to titles very well. "I never did congratulate you and Garnet for your union. Congratulations!"

The now-king looked up over his shoulders and half grimaced, half grinned. "Thanks, I'll give her the message, but make sure to come over and tell her yourself soon, too! And never call me that, you hear?"

Dr. Tot chuckled and waved his hand in a shooing gesture. "I will try to keep it in mind. Farewell, Zidane."

With his own wave of goodbye, Zidane quickly disappeared down the stairs. Dr. Tot allowed himself a moment of joy for Zidane and the queen before turning to the grim task awaiting him.

Zell was standing at the foot of the bed, rocking on the balls of his feet and looking absolutely restless.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, his tone just as impatient and anxious as his demeanor. Dr. Tot reminded himself of Zidane's words.

"I cannot say before I've examined him," Dr. Tot reminded gently as he moved beside Seifer's low bed. "Can you tell me exactly what happened to cause this?" Cid had given him the basics, but now he would need details.

Zell sighed deeply and crossed his arms, looking no more at ease. "We're not sure, but Seifer fell in Fossil Roo's water during a fight against monsters. He's the only one who did."

Fever, slight trembling, rapid but weak heartbeat, cold sweat, Seifer had many symptoms that could mean about anything, yet nothing Lindblum's very capable physicians had been able to identify and cure.

"How did he fall?"

Zell frowned as he thought. "I can't really say for sure, I only noticed when he started dipping forward. I'd say it was the monsters' singing."

"Singing?"

"Yeah. The monsters sang like they were playing a flute or something. They'd been following us for a while."

Dr. Tot considered the information carefully but did not draw conclusions just yet. "You all heard the same music as Seifer, yet no else was drawn to the water. It might have been selective hypnotism, then. It is not unheard of. So you say the only thing that sets Seifer apart is his fall in the water?"

"Kinda. At least, he began feeling sick soon afterwards," Zell acquiesced. "Selective hypnotism?"

"It's a type of magic that singles out an individual within a group. Although everyone may feel --or hear, as it seems to be in your case-- the instrument of hypnotism, only the target is affected. It's rather difficult to accomplish and usually fails if the group in question is conscious of what's happening to the victim."

Zell followed Dr. Tot on the other side of the sickbed, intently watching, but he spared a moment for a guilty grimace.

"You mean if there'd been another sentry along with Seifer, it could've been avoided?"

Dr. Tot didn't look up, but he could imagine what the boy was feeling at the moment. Though sympathetic, he was more preoccupied with Seifer's fever. Clearly it was the man's worst enemy at the moment, burning him up from the inside.

"Maybe, maybe not. If the monsters were well-coordinated enough and numerous, they might have been able to bring down two people. Selective hypnotism is very precise. It molds itself to the victim's state of mind, finds the cracks, and seeps in like venom. Harder, but much more efficient than generalized hypnotism."

Zell frowned heavily and stood back, looking at the wall before him but not seeing it.

"Wait. That means the water might not be the problem after all. What if it's this hypnotism thing that's making him sick? Like, convincing the mind to affect the body and all."

Dr. Tot looked up and allowed himself a little smile. "Very bright observation. Yes, it might be, but it's highly unlikely." Dr. Tot raised a hand before Zell could ask another question. "First, selective hypnotism remains magic and can be broken with the appropriate spells, all of which are at the disposition of Eiko. Second, if the monsters only wanted him to fall in the water, it would have been a tremendous waste of energy to modify the hypnotism to also convince the subject he's sick, and thus make him so, like you say. Now, magic could still fail, or remain ineffective. For the first to happen, the monsters' magic would have to be almost impossibly strong. As for the second, Seifer would have to be weak to mental manipulation and suggestion. He'd have to want to cling to the hypnotism, if you wish."

It was a chance peak over his glasses that allowed Dr. Tot to see the sudden hesitation and grimace that crossed Zell's face, only to be replaced by guilt. The doctor straightened and pushed up his glasses.

"...Is he? Easy prey to such magic, I mean."

Zell fidgeted for a few good moments under Dr. Tot's heavy stare, casting worried glances at Seifer as if he was afraid the man would wake up any moment and discover what was happening. Eventually he sighed, shaking his head as his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Sorry man, but the doc's gotta know..." the boy mumbled. He stalled another few seconds, checking Seifer for signs that he was waking up, and finally dared meet Dr. Tot's eye.

"I'll take that as a yes..?"

Zell nodded glumly. "Yeah. Can't go into details, but it didn't even need magic. I don't think you can call it hypnotism at all, just mind-wrapping shit. And it just took the right words. He came around_ eventually_, but that took a whole lot more convincing. Violent convincing," Zell added, raising his hands up to his waist before him and staring at the metal plates of his gloves.

"Do you think this could be it, again?"

That seemed to catch the boy by surprise. He thought for a minute, tilting his head, and eventually deflated in one, heavy and bone-weary sigh.

"Nah," he concluded, shaking his head. "This isn't the same. He's an idiot, but those monsters couldn't have offered anything to make him turn again."

Dr. Tot didn't comment, keeping his thoughts about the fragments Zell had revealed to himself. It seemed a touchy subject, and as a scientist and doctor, he respected that.

"So you see yourself. We'll know more when he wakes up, but for now I'll keep an eye out for the symptoms, in case it's the hypnotism after all. Your knowledge of Seifer's personality will be invaluable to pick up the clues."

That seemed to cheer up Zell somewhat, as his pose straightened like a man ready to_ do_ something. "What type of clues?"

Dr. Tot walked around the bed and towards his shelves, hand on chin as he searched for anything that could help.

"In the case of mind-induced illness, anything that indicates that Seifer is clinging to his sickness; refusal to recognize the possibility of hypnotism, refusal to accept recovery or exaggerated pessimism. Anything that looks like he's convinced he's sick and that it will never change, or that he wants it to change in the first place."

Zell forced out a laugh, and though it sounded strained, it was a valiant effort at cheering up that Dr. Tot appreciated.

"That'd be so unlike Seifer I'd have picked up on it without you telling me. He knows he's sick alright, but so far there's been no defeated I'm-done-for attitude. Just complete craziness."

Dr. Tot quirked an eyebrow. He pulled down one volume, old and faded but priceless, and gestured for Zell to come help him.

"Craziness?"

"Random conversations. Mumbling, violence on everybody and their mother. Except me." Zell pulled a face. "He's got lucid moments, but they're fewer and far between."

Silently, Dr. Tot allowed himself a small moment to marvel at how fascinating this whole case was turning out to be, and then he tucked the heartless feeling away and concentrated on studying to heal.

"Dementia. It's not a side effect of any sort of hypnotism I've ever encountered, heard of or read about. It dulls or fools the mind, it doesn't dismantle it."

A fifth book went into the pile growing in Zell's arms. The boy didn't complain, just craned his neck to see the smaller doctor.

"You sound pretty sure it's a poison or something."

"Indeed, it's my first guest. I'll watch out for the other, but concentrate on finding the poison or virus in question."

"Great. Um, what now, doc?" Zell asked when the sixth book bumped his chin.

"For now, we will try and put some nutrients in him; water, some food, and I will give him something for his fever and to steady his heartbeat," he explained as he moved, checking one last time to make sure he wasn't missing anything for now. "His fever has to be broken soon, or else it won't matter if it's magic or not, he'll be gone."

Zell swore colorfully and would have gesticulated if he wasn't weighed down with old, dusty tomes.

"Let's get on with it, then!"

"Indeed." Dr. Tot cleared a square of his work table and helped Zell pile the books in a stack. "But while I work, could you give me a precise account of everything Seifer has done or said since the beginning of his sickness?"

Zell snorted loudly as he heavily sat down on a chair, foot jingling almost immediately.

"Easily. He wasn't exactly relaxing."

Dr. Tot grabbed a quill, ink and parchment and set them up beside his medical books and jars and herbs. "Let us begin, then."

--

The quantity of information they had just been given was mind-buzzing. Beatrix loosed Save the Queen in her scabbard, occupying her hands to focus her mind. This sudden avalanche of troubles was too much to be normal, and she was already starting to search for possible connections between them all, trying to find the pattern so she could discern their enemy. Thinking that these were simple, natural happenings that had decided to plague them all at once through sheer coincidence was a lot to swallow.

Sitting beside her, the Queen did not look any less confused than Beatrix felt. Garnet stared in her cup of mulled wine thoughtfully, a small frown pinching her brow. The coming times would be trying on her, but Beatrix was confident she would pull through. They simply had to find a place to start from.

"We have been receiving many reports about the monsters," Beatrix started, pulling the others from their respective contemplations. "Forces have already been dispatched to investigate the problem."

They had not found any useful information, however. The monsters just seemed to have awakened from a deep sleep at the bottom of the ocean. Who had awakened them, however?

Regent Cid knuckled his moustaches. "If Alexandria has eyes on the ocean, then I will send Lindblum troops to Fossil Roo and see what we can discover. We need either one to reach Ozma safely."

Beatrix frowned. "We cannot move an army through Fossil Roo. If Lindblum wishes to help, some airships to support our boats would be more useful."

"I am not sending an army to Ozma," Garnet spoke up. She looked up at Beatrix with a hint of the visceral fear the General always saw in the Queen's eyes whenever the monster crept up in conversation. "They would die. It would be better to have a few veteran fighters rather than fearful troops stepping on each other's toes."

"Considering the only battle against Ozma that was ever attempted, you will need numbers, your Highness," Beatrix replied more forcefully than she'd meant. She did not want to see Garnet on the brink of death ever again, her duty be hanged. She cared too much for her.

Zidane as well, she reminded herself belatedly. It was still strange thinking of him as her King, even more so as her friend.

"I agree with Garnet," said King countered, straightening from the tense slouch he'd adopted. "More than four, but only enough that can travel through Fossil Roo."

Beatrix opened her mouth to argue again, but Regent Cid cleared his throat politely, so she clicked it shut with as polite a glower as she could manage.

"We can argue about this later. General, rest assured that Lindblum will lend you a few strong airships, but neither will I leave my northern border blind to the possible threat Fossil Roo could become. As such, the point is moot for now."

"What about Fossil Roo's other end?," Zidane asked. "Maybe we could smuggle some troops back on the north continent? We'd be able to search Fossil Roo from both ends."

"Do not forget Ozma," she reminded sternly. Zidane was shaping up to be a good king, but he was still a novice at managing a country instead of a few independent fighters. For now, he needed all the pointers he could get. He made her want to tear her hair out, sometimes, and Steiner had stopped having fits if only because the sheer amount demanded would put him in cardiac arrest.

"I'm not, but if we don't send too many, maybe it won't notice them. It let us go pretty easily even if we were right under its nose."

"That would be very dangerous. Let's wait and see what the investigations yield on this continent, it might just be all we need," Garnet countered deftly, setting her barely touched cup of wine on the table. "We will need two teams. One for the sea monsters, one for Fossil Roo."

Regent Cid nodded his agreement. "Indeed. As soon as we know of a safer way to go north, we'll take action. But for now, caution is the key."

"I see your point, though I don't like sitting on my hands over here while Ozma's raging up there," Zidane conceded unhappily.

"We won't be inactive," Beatrix reminded him. "We will be busy searching for a way to attack it. Squall, will you help us?" she asked, turning to the fifth and silent member of the assembly.

The young man had been as quiet as a shadow, looking intently from one person to another as they talked. As Alexandria's general, Beatrix was instinctively wary of him, but as a simple swords master, she respected him. He handled his sword with the ease and efficiency of an expert. His strange blade clearly belonged with him.

Squall uncrossed his arms after a second and nodded. "We all will. It might be our only ticket home." His voice was not hopeful.

--

So they were moving again. Irvine wasn't even surprised, but he was far from thrilled at the idea of being separated from the others. Lounging in the grass, long legs dangling over the rock wall and just brushing over the water's surface, he watched the sun roll back behind a wall of clouds and heaved a heavy sigh. He should count himself lucky, somewhat, since he wasn't on the Lindblum team. He'd had enough of being dragged here and there without an imp's ass idea of what the hell he was getting himself into with these people, but he'd still prefer that to being split in two teams. It was strange. He'd never been this adamant about sticking with the others before, even during the war against Ultimecia, but then again, she hadn't completely un-earthed them. It was one hell of a motivation.

If only Rinoa were here, then the team would really be complete. It just wasn't the same having Seifer's sarcasm loom instead of her bullheaded optimism, even if the man had grown on him somewhat since the crash. He chuckled quietly at the thought. It was even stranger to realize he could forget Seifer had ever been an enemy at all.

"What's so funny?" Selphie came back from her exploration of the area to squat beside him, tilting her head curiously.

"I'm just thinking that our team's only missing Rinoa to look like the old days," he replied, a little wryly, because the old days meant Ultimecia, and that wasn't exactly laughing material.

"Missing Rinoa makes you laugh?" Selphie questioned dubiously, raising her eyebrows at him.

Irvine rolled his shoulders into a lazy shrug. "Not exactly. It's the whole situation."

"You're a bad liar."

"I'm not even lying! Don't you find it funny, what this crash's doing to us?"

Selphie shrugged and started plucking at the grass idly. "Not really. I don't think about it too much. I just go with the flow."

Now it was Irvine's turn to frown. "Liar. What's on your mind?"

"Hey! Don't change the subject!" she accused with a pout.

Irvine just stared, feeling amusement tickle the corners of his mouth. He wasn't really worried about her, Selphie was a tough girl, physically and mentally, but he was curious to know what could make her pluck at the grass mournfully instead of tugging him on his feet so they could explore that castle for good this time.

He also knew he could win that contest every time.

"Oh, fine!" she exclaimed with a short laugh. "But I'm not a liar, I'm not thinking about what the crash's doing to us. I'm thinking about Rinoa, too, but also Laguna."

That one caught him by surprise. "Laguna?"

Selphie nodded emphatically. "Yeah. Remember what Quistis said? It makes sense that he'd investigate our disappearance and all, and maybe come and rescue us, but what if his ship gets caught in the meteor field too? It'd crash like us, and then they'd be stranded too. Or they might not even be so lucky."

"Well, of course that could happen," Irvine started slowly. He hadn't really thought of Laguna much. He preferred pining his hopes on something he could control and work with, even if it was almost nonexistent and pretty much useless. "But Laguna's smart, he won't go charging head first where we disappeared. He'll check what went wrong first," he added quickly when Selphie's shoulders slumped.

She hummed, eventually nodding. "You're right. But I'm still worried. I wouldn't want him to get injured or crash like us."

Irvine snorted. "And I wouldn't want to lose one of our more likely options off this rock, either."

"But the people are nice! They've been doing a lot for us," she pointed out, poking him in the side in mild accusation for his heartless words.

"That's the point, though. I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome." Irvine squirmed out of the way and grabbed her arm before she could jab him again. She twisted out of his grip with a laugh.

"So long as we make things explode for them, I don't think they'll mind us staying longer."

Oh, he loved her so much in these kind of moments. Laughing uproariously, Irvine hopped to his feet and dragged her up with him.

"They'll be putting us to work exploding things as soon as tomorrow, though, so we'd better take advantage of the day off," he pointed, nodding his head over his shoulder and towards the looming castle behind them.

Selphie's eyes lit up, dispelling the worry that had been shadowing them. "I heard the view from the towers is amazing! But it's restricted..."

Irvine tipped his hat and raised one eyebrow. "That never stopped you from climbing anything before."

Selphie smiled, broad and impish, and crossed her arms behind her back. "Nope! Let's go!"

TBC


End file.
